Sins of the Father
by Super Vegetarott
Summary: Life can change, sometimes in an instant. For Son Goku, this phrase never rang truer when his memories were erased with a blow to the skull and he was abducted into the stars by his elder brother. Of course, Goku's past life wouldn't just crumble away; he had a young son named Gohan, who dedicated his life to bringing his father home.
1. Chapter I: Abduction

**Sins of the Father Prologue - Abduction**

_Two figures stand side-by-side, together facing down a humanoid figure with jet-black long hair; the latter of who crosses his arms in a sign of mockery. This is yet another example of a battle on Earth: Son Goku and Piccolo Junior vs. Raditz._

_In the story we all know, Goku and Piccolo triumph over the mysterious alien, albeit at the cost of Goku's life. However, in this alternate universe, things play out far, far, differently..._

_"You're a disgrace to all Saiyans! Now prepare to die!"_

Raditz stood alone on the grassy fields; the wind blew through his hair as the other two fighters in front of him—Son Goku and Piccolo Junior—assumed their fighting stances. Foolish, they were, to not have submitted earlier… he wouldn't show any mercy, even if it was his baby brother he was battling.

With lightning fast speed, the alien rocketed forward and out of sight, causing both Saiyan and Namekian to gasp in stupefaction. The power difference between the three competitors was far too great for the team of two to even remotely stand a chance. However, one willed himself onwards to ensure his son's safety; the other motivated himself with lust of controlling the Earth. However, both Earth-raised individuals were one when it came to their determination to win this battle. If they were to win, they won together; if they fell, they fell together—and that's exactly what they did when Raditz thrust either elbow down on both of his opponents' shoulder blades.

Perching forward, Goku caught himself on his hands and used the momentum to push himself upwards, hopping upwards in the air before landing on the wasteland feet first. Piccolo, however, was less graceful; he made his landing on one foot before bouncing back on his right hand to re-stabilize himself.

"Hahahahaha!" Raditz cackled, both of his arms still upwards. Taking that as a taunt, both Piccolo and Goku rushed forward with a battle cry; Goku assumed the lead while Piccolo flanked his right. Suddenly, the two began to switch their position, the Namekian overtaking Goku in speed before the Earth-raised Saiyan recovered the front. The elite-Saiyan smirked throughout his opponents' charge, not even bothering to lift a single finger as they attacked in an unbalanced manner. The Saiyan dodged and dodged each and every blow that the unlikely duo threw at him, grinning with malicious intent.

Suddenly, Goku threw a left-legged roundhouse kick that slightly threw Raditz off his game; he'd had to actually block it with his forearm while tilting backwards. Piccolo hadn't pulled any punches either, capitalizing on his golden opportunity by delivering a swift jab to the face. The impact sent Raditz back slightly, which the team of two took to mean that he was injured. Nodding to each other, both seized the moment by phasing out of sight in perfect coordination.

As Raditz clutched his face, stumbling backwards, the team of two re-materialized behind him with reared-back fists, only to be met with two boots that struck either of the space pirate's opponents directly underneath their chins. Both opponents were sent spiraling to either side of Raditz, quickly recovering to return to the offensive by kicking off the ground with their feet. To create space between him and his enemies, Raditz ascended quickly into the sky; Goku and Piccolo quickly changed course to follow him.

Raditz glanced to his lower right—his brother was approaching with a fatigued expression. He then shifted his gaze to his lower left—the green man was rushing towards him with a concentrated snarl.

He suddenly smirked before outstretching his two palms to either side of him, releasing two beams of concentrated energy at his opponents. Being in the flight pattern he was, Goku was just narrowly able to shift his body to the right to dodge the Single Sunday. Piccolo, however, was not so lucky; his slower reaction time caused his left arm to be caught in the pink blast of energy.

Both fighters began to free-fall towards the ground, beginning to grow fatigued from their deadly dance. Goku was the first to land, slightly dazed. "Where'd he go?"

Raditz materialized behind him with a crazed smirk. "Behind you."

The Earth-raised Saiyan didn't have time to react as Raditz's boot sent him flying forwards, meeting face-first with the dirty soil of the Spinach Wastelands.

"Urgh..." Goku did his best to stand on his feet, but his back muscles gave out, forcing him to remain grounded. "Agh…"

"Relax, Kakarott." Raditz crossed his arms at his brother, internally disappointed with the level of challenge—or lack thereof—his brother was. "At least you're not faring as terribly as green man over there."

Goku's gaze shifted upwards to see Piccolo, holding his stump of a left arm with his right, scowling furiously at Raditz. "You think you're going to get away with that?" The supposed intimidation tactic that the green warrior tried to employ clearly didn't faze Raditz, he merely laughed off the threat.

"Good…" Piccolo mumbled under his breath. _These arrogant fools… all the same._ "Goku... have you been saving up any special techniques for a time like this?"

"Haha... no. Not this time, Piccolo." Goku thought back to five years ago: the last of what he remembered to be his greatest challenge—the being he was siding with today. A thought rang out in his mind; had he continued to train, would he have fared a chance against his brother? However, Goku wasn't one to reminisce on what might've been, and he wasn't keen on the prospect of starting to do so.

"Peh...sounds like you, all right..." Piccolo mumbled. "Listen carefully...I've been working on a new technique that'll finish off this loudmouth in one shot." _I was originally saving it to kill you, Goku…_ I'm going to need you to hold him off until it's ready."

"All right!" Goku rolled his shoulders, attempting to get psyched up for the battle. "Let's do this!"

"Wait!" Piccolo all but shouted, catching Raditz's attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt; are you two discussing a plan?" flouted Raditz. "I apologise; feel free to mince words...they'll be your last." He broke into a fit of malicious laughter.

"This attack of mine is powerful; it's potent enough to pierce through nearly anything. I can even pull it off with one arm… its one downfall is its charging time; I'll need nearly five minutes to gather enough energy."

"Don't worry about me," chided Goku. "I can handle myself. Besides, if I can't handle five minutes against him, I don't deserve to defend the Earth."

With that, he took off, honing in on his brother with an elbow to the solar plexus. In response, Raditz sneered and blocked said elbow with his left forearm, beginning a clash between two of the last Saiyans in existence.

Spurred on by Goku's efforts, Piccolo touched his index and middle fingers to his forehead and began to gather his energy for one last attack. _This is it… it's all or nothing!_

While he'd been able to keep up with his brother in the beginning, Goku's strength and endurance just simply weren't up to par with his elder Saiyan's, resulting in his suffering of many blows to the ribcage and stomach. However, his injuries were not in vain; Piccolo's blue aura was growing with vivacious energy for each second Goku was able to hold out. Eventually, tendrils of energy began arcing around the Namekian's fingertips, and he grunted with enthusiasm. _This'll do it…_

Goku snuck a glance over at Piccolo's stance, eyes slightly widening at the power he felt emanating from his rival's body. _He's even more powerful than Raditz!_

If he couldn't find some way to clearly separate himself from Raditz, Goku felt this odd sensation that he would be felled by Piccolo's attack as well. He hadn't forgotten that while his rival proved a valuable ally to him at the moment, he could change sides in a heartbeat.

The tailed Saiyan broke clean through Goku's defenses and thoughts with a jump-kick, sending Goku flying to his right before neatly landing on his feet-he failed to notice the Namekian charging his blast from behind him.

Goku used his momentum to kick off the ground and cupped his hands to his right hip, charging a pulsing blue sphere of energy in the creases of his palms. "Ka...me..."

Below him, his brother narrowed his eyes in suspicion. _What is he plan-_

"Ha...me...HA!" He thrust his palms downward, releasing a pale blue stream of energy towards his older sibling. To ensure his own safety, Raditz leapt towards his side, yet Goku dragged his palms to the left to curve the beam in an attempt to hit his brother.

It appeared to be a footrace; Raditz tried to flee from the beam of energy which he hadn't been able to predict. However, Raditz realised he couldn't keep it up forever, and so he leapt forwards, spun on his heel, and thrust out his palm. "Let's see what you've got—AAGGHH!"

The beam made perfect contact with the crease of Raditz's left palm, exploding violently against its hit target. The resulting explosion threw up debris and smoke, but when it dispersed, the Saiyan remained unharmed.

"He cancelled it out..." Goku panted, running on the brink of desperation. He'd put nearly everything he had into that blast—he wasn't sure of anything else he could do to stall his elder brother.

"That...was impressive, Kakarott..." the space pirate grinned ferally. "But let me show you how it's done!" Raditz generated a pink bolt of energy before promptly flinging it at his brother. With little to no energy remaining in his body, Goku was powerless to stop the blast from colliding with his abdomen, causing the noble fighter to begin his slow descent towards the ground.

Raditz-being ever the opportunist-pounced forward to meet Goku during his fall and punt-kicked him in the ribcage, causing the spiky-haired hero to tumble down the wasteland. As he tried to sit up, his elder brother appeared above him, ready to execute the final blow when-

He saw it.

Piccolo's attack-so long as it had taken to charge-was complete, shining in all its luminescent glory. "Are you ready... SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

The spiraling attack shot forward like a cannon, constantly rotating and spinning in order to get the best penetration it possibly could. In a moment of fear, Raditz stood, gaping at the output of power the Namekian was able to produce in such a short time-span.

_This, _he realized, _This was what Kakarott was stalling for..._

Broken out of his stupor, Raditz swiftly dodged to the left, yet the beam still connected with his right shoulder-guard; the impact of which caused a large dust cloud to rise as debris was once again scattered in the howling winds. Being obstructed from view of his foe, Piccolo began to hope that his Special Beam Cannon had pulled the finishing blow on the overconfident Saiyan.

Alas, it was not to be. Raditz stood, angrily, charging a purple sphere of energy in his left palm. His teeth were grit; angry, as depicted by his facial expression.

For one of the first times in his life, Piccolo truly felt fear permeate through his conscious. He was paralyzed; helpless—just as he'd been at the 23th World Martial Arts Tournament. Only this time, there would be no second chance, no reprieve. Piccolo, in a desperate attempt to cling onto whatever pride he had remaining, crossed his arms in preparation for the blast.

"NOW YOU DIE!" Raditz proclaimed, throwing his hand forward to end Piccolo's life. However, all of a sudden, he was rendered powerless.

"Hahaha!" Goku grinned, staring at Raditz's horrified expression. "I got your tail!" The hero applied pressure to the limb, and Raditz found himself sinking and on the ground, completely powerless. The tables had turned yet again.

"Piccolo!" The Earth-raised Saiyan called out to his ally. "Do you think you can pull off another one of those attacks?"

"Sure, Goku!" Piccolo smirked ferally, raising two fingers to his non-existent brow. "With pleasure!"

"Kakarott...don't tell me you're actually considering going through with this? G-Gah...I'm your brother..."

"Brother?!" Goku scowled. "Don't be ridiculous! You kidnapped my son and you tried to kill me! And, if I remember right, you said you were going to exterminate every human on this planet!"

"I was bluffing!" Raditz rebuked, struggling in pain on the ground below. "I would've said or done anything to get you to join us, I swear it! I could never hurt my own flesh and blood….I swear! I swear, Kakarott!"

Goku, ever so cautious, kept a full grip on his brother's tail. "You promise to leave?"

Growling in pain, Raditz bellowed, "I'll NEVER come back to this planet again! I promise!"

"Goku, NO!"

While in an internal debate, the teachings of his adopted grandfather shone through dominantly in Goku's persona. Unfortunately, trust and faith weren't always accepted by the truly malicious, as evidenced when Raditz immediately thrust his elbow backwards after being freed from his younger brother's grip. The Earth-raised Saiyan fell backwards; head snapped back, wondering just how such a malicious soul could exist to go back on their word.

Sadly for him, he'd just begun to scratch the surface of maliciousness.

The Saiyan warrior quickly capitalized on his opportunity, lunging forward and slamming down his boot onto his brother's solar plexus. The Saiyan's cry was ear-deafening, but Raditz only relished in the scream from his prey. It felt empowering; invigorating... he felt he was truly alive. Even if it was only just for a moment, he savored in feeling superior.

"Do you see now, Kakarot? You're nothing compared to me! You're an excuse for a Saiyan warrior!"

Raditz elevated his foot for a final strike, sneering with disgust at his fallen brother. _How a Saiyan could be so weak and compassionate is beyond me…_ "Now die, you scum!"

With a shout, the Saiyan forced his foot downwards with all his might, a malicious cackle pounding against the spiky-haired hero's eardrums. _No... if only I was stronger than this..._

"Special Beam Cannon!"

A spiraling yellow beam quickly made its way towards Raditz, the low-class leaping onto the left ball of his foot to escape…

…However, the rotating beam shot straight through Raditz's unwrapped tail as he attempted to flee. The pain seared through his tail bone, a vital part of the Saiyan anatomy. Without it, Raditz didn't know if he'd ever be able to fight at the intensity he used to.

"Pathetic," spat the green-skinned fighter. "You act all high and mighty, only to fall to two 'weaklings,' as you called us."

A mouthful of blood spewed from the Saiyan's jawline, distorting his features and making him appear more reminiscent of a demon rather than a humanoid."H-how dare you… dama-mage my body… I-I'll kill you!"

Rushing forward with a feral shout, Raditz thrust his fist at Piccolo's abdomen, though the Namekian only let loose a grin as he evaded the attack with a swift sweep of the leg and another calculated kick to send Raditz flying.

Raditz's trajectory was halted abruptly by a large boulder, of which the Saiyan's back slammed into with a loud, spine-shattering sound-a loud scream forced its way out of the demoralized Saiyan's lungs as a result.

"It's all over," sneered Piccolo with a grin. "Looks like you didn't live up to the hype after all, Saiyan."

Raditz stared up at his opponent with a glare full of hatred and fear. While he wouldn't care to admit it, the Saiyan was fearful at the prospect of death, scared of the potential of losing his soul forever. But most of all, he was angry at being called weak. His friends, his father... they all dubbed him a low-class and a Saiyan destined to be forgotten. "How dare you insult my honour?" _This is it… I don't know if it'll work with half of a tail… but it's either that or death._

The Saiyan warrior opened his palm, his motivation and willpower making up all the power he had left."I won't...die here...! G-Get out of my way..." he stood, stumbling over each motion he made.

Piccolo phased directly in front of the fallen warrior, raising his claw-like hand to aim his final blow. "I'm sorry; I couldn't hear you over your blood loss. What'd you say?"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Raditz bellowed, thrusting his legs forward and knocking the wind out of Piccolo with a double-heeled kick, the impact sent the Namekian flying backwards. Capitalising on his opportunity, Raditz generated a small ball of energy and fired it into the sky with all his might.

Piccolo smirked menacingly at the long-haired warrior. "I'm down here, you know… or have my attacks destroyed your eyesight?" Closing his palms, Piccolo began to summon up his power for one last attack. "I'll be putting you to sleep permanently! No more games!"

Suddenly, Raditz's eye pupils faded to nothingness; his body twitched violently as the primal beast within began to take over. However, his superior control of the transformation allowed him to stay in control as his body grew vastly bigger, his eyes becoming a deep red color. His skin began to turn a deep brown as his teeth elongated into vicious fangs, his malicious laughter becoming far deeper and darker than ever before. The Saiyan's sheer power completely smashed his scouter—leaving its remains to be deposited by the wind.

With a roar worthy of that of a Great Ape, Raditz had completed the ascension to his Oozaru form.

"Hahahaha!" growled the baritone voice of Raditz's new form. "How do you like me now, green man? Think your piercing beam will be able to cut through my Oozaru state?!"

Piccolo's eyes widened in fear—he'd never seen a transformation like this ever before in his life. All he knew was that it most likely spelled doom for him and his unlikely ally. "What the?! What's going on?!"

"You foolish Namekian," cackled the Great Ape, letting out a primal roar. "You should have killed me when you had the chance!"

Piccolo had successfully charged up enough of his energy for only one last attack—if this failed, the Namekian had no other options. Desperately pleading to the heavens, the Namekian thrust his right hand forward, energy beginning to form in the ligament.

"Well, I'm about to make up for it! Destructive Wave!" A vast yellow beam shot out of Piccolo's outstretched arm and made its way towards Raditz with a high-pitched whine.

Raditz grinned maliciously as he batted his arm to the side swiftly, blocking the Destructive Wave with nearly no effort at all. It rose into the air, where it dispersed in the stars. "It's all over for you, Namekian!"

The Namekian tightened his fist on his solitary right arm—even if he wanted to regenerate his left arm from Raditz's Double Sunday attack, he would only sap into his own life energy. It was truly over.

He generated a pink ball of energy in his left palm and aimed it towards Piccolo's immobile body. "Saturday Crush!"

With a roar, the sphere made its way towards Piccolo, who closed his eyes and prepared for the end. The Namekian felt the heat of the energy attack begin to sear his green skin as it drew closer, yet he was helpless to do anything. _I was truly a fool… I should've known better than to provoke someone like Goku._

"NO!"

Suddenly, Piccolo was pushed away by humanoid hands—however, the owner of those hands was not a human. The following explosion rang out throughout the vast fields and threw up a deep black smoke cloud.

When the dust settled, Goku was revealed to have been the one to save the Namekian with his arms outstretched, panting heavily. "You won't… hurt him…"

Raditz growled as he scooped up the helpless Saiyan in his large grip, staring furiously at his still and unconscious form. "You're certainly persistent, Kakarot. Allow me to end your suffering!"

The Great Ape hurled Goku into the air and smashed his large fist down on Goku's sternum with all the strength he could muster, sending the Earth-raised Saiyan crashing down into the ground.

Goku finally fell into unconscious, his head bouncing off of a sharpened rock. There the fighter lay, broken and defeated.

"NO! DADDY!"

Young Gohan, ever the one for non-violence, used his anger and willpower to ascend to powers never seen before for a non-Oozaru. Using this new power, the Saiyan hybrid dispersed some of his energy around his immediate surroundings to force open the door of his confinement, rushing towards his uncle with a battle cry worthy of the long-forgotten Saiyan race.

Unfortunately, the kind of power that Gohan displayed meant very little when in comparison to his uncle's at the current moment; the Oozaru simply batted Gohan to the side with his large backhand. "Out of my way, you half-breed!"

Raditz suddenly felt his body jerk violently, beginning to compress in on himself. _Wh-what?! What's going on?!" _He slowly, but surely, began to sink down to his normal size, growling in both rage and frustration. _Wh-Why?!_

At last, his regression was complete, causing the Saiyan to fall to his knees in frustration. His muscles ached violently from the sudden change in his equilibrium._ I can only assume that it had something to do with my tail…_

Desperate to survive, the fallen Saiyan then pulled an object out of his pocket slowly, punching in a code on the object—now identified as a remote. A scowl that signified his defeat showed on his _I hate to retreat… but it seems I have no choice. I'll be back, Kakarott... and you will become one of us._

"Wha-"

The long-haired Saiyan glanced over at Goku with a stunned mien. _No! He can't be conscious! Curse it all..._

"My body…" groaned Goku in, shudders of pain wracking his abdominal muscles and his skull."W-Where am I?"

Raditz, while suspicious, decided to play on the unlikely possible scenario. "Kakarott..."

"Who are you?" Goku questioned, staring directly at his brother with a gaze of confusion and uncertainly._ I remember that I was fighting some guy… but who? Was it him?_

Raditz let out a small laugh. _So, it seems fate has finally played in my favour…_ "My name is Raditz. I am your brother, and we were severely injured when we tried to defeat that green man over there," he lied, motioning to the now unconscious Piccolo.

"Your name is… Goku," he said after a brief pause. _On the off chance that he actually remembered something, I can't risk him figuring out the truth._ "We work with two other of our kind, Nappa and Prince Vegeta. The rest of our race has been wiped out by an evil tyrant named Frieza."

He jerked his head in the direction of his space-pod. "Come with me to the space-pod, and I'll explain further."

As the two dragged themselves to the space-pod, Raditz grinned internally. _Just you wait, Frieza. The Saiyans are re-united, and with a good few years of training under your rule, you're done for…_

* * *

The Capsule Corp. plane touched down on the grassy plains with a soft whirring sound, Krillin and Yamcha immediately darting out of the ship to survey the battlefield for Goku. Unfortunately, as far as the eye could see, Goku was nowhere to be found.

"Goku..." called out Yamcha nervously. _Where did he…_

"Where are you?!" cried out Krillin.

"He's gone."

Both Earthlings pivoted on their heels to come face-to-face with a battle-wounded Piccolo. "His brother basically dominated the fight until I drilled him with my new technique. Unfortunately, he turned the tide again and defeated us both. I can only assume he was too weakened to finish me off… which means he might come back for us as well."

"Y-you're kidding…" Yamcha murmured. Goku, gone? No… there's got to be some mistake.

Piccolo turned around and crossed his arms. "I'll be training in a valley not too far from here. Any of you are welcome to come challenge me—but be warned: this doesn't mean I'm your newest ally; I won't pull any punches. I merely need to ensure that there's still a planet for me to rule after that Saiyan's return."

The Namekian surrounded himself in a bright white light as he rocketed off into the sky, bypassing the artificial moon in the air.

Krillin turned around and scooped up the young hybrid child in his arms, looking down at him with a crestfallen expression. "There's Gohan… the poor little guy will be crushed when he learns the truth… Chi-Chi, too. This is all so horrible… who thought this could happen?"

The former desert bandit bowed his head. "If it weren't for Goku, it's likely that we wouldn't all be together today... it just won't be the same."

"Do you think we'll ever see him again?" questioned the former monk.

"I don't know…" murmured Yamcha. "I just don't know."

Little did they know, a whole new adventure was about to unravel involving themselves and Goku… but not the one they knew and loved.

* * *

_To new readers, I felt I needed to add an informative note to the prologue of Sins of the Father. First off, if you're re-reading this, you'll note that a lot more content was added to this chapter than there was before. This is from my attempt to better the chapters drastically from what they were before._

_In later chapters, you'll note that I begin using a power level chart to compare characters. While it doesn't dominate my devising of power levels, I want to note that my calculations for the SSJ transformations are done using the _Bringer of Death_ model; you can go to _Bringer of Death _Chapter 50 to find the full explanations for how the whole model is written. The model was created by davidstarlingm, while npberryhill also pitched in by making sure everything was canon-compliant. Sins of the Father will be receiving its own power level chapter, where I will reveal just exactly HOW I got the numbers I did. That will be featured later in the story._

_Another important notice is that I update every other Saturday. Why, you ask? I'm also balancing another fic of mine, which is entitled Guardian. I genuinely hope you'll be able to read that as well, for that will be updated on the Saturdays that SotF does not see an update. This will ensure two updates a month for both of my fics. If I can try to decrease the wait between chapters, I will, but this is the official schedule for now._

_I hope that you will continue to read SotF, as it is a story that I hope will bring you, the reader, a small time of enjoyment while bringing you a world of DBZ never seen before._

_My final note to my readers is about chapter length. This chapter was about 4K in content, and you'll notice that the chapter lengths of chapters III-VI are amazingly long.. This is due to having written them with co-authors(Full Power-Chapters I to V, The Forgotten Phoenix-III to VI, and FinalFlashX-V to VI). However, I will be re-writing those chapters with fully revised writing(though with no loss in chapter), so as to make the story my own without any extra help. I was the original plot-designer for the story, and so no harm has been made to SotF's progress._

_The goal of SotF's weekly updates is to start up with small chapters of 3,000 words, and eventually work my way to around OVER 8000 words._

_I hope this note was informative to you readers, and that you will continue to read Sins of the Father. I highly encourage you to read and review, and please feel free to tell your fanfiction friends about it! The more the merrier!_


	2. Chapter II: Initiation

As Krillin approached the home of his best friend, he began to subconsciously tense up. As Goku's best friend, he knew it would be his duty to be the bearer of bad news—he just loathed he had to deliver them in the first place.

_Why'd it have to be Goku?_ thought the former monk. _ The guy did nothing but give and give to the world, and he's just spirited away after five years of peace…_

"WHY HIM, HUH?!" Krillin shrieked to the azure skies. "WHY THE GUY WITH A WIFE AND A SON?! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

Nature's reply seemed to be a simple, gentle breeze that ran over the mountain-like area of East District 439, gently tussling young Gohan's hair in the wind. Krillin, while angry, tried to let the lulling sounds of the birds and the soft breeze sate his anger. His emotions wouldn't be quelled by such a feeling, unfortunately. There was nothing left to do but man up and face Chi-Chi; it was certain that she'd heard his outraged scream just moments prior.

Sucking in his stomach, Krillin gently knocked on the door of his best friend's household, trying to figure out the best way to phrase his words. After all, from what he remembered of her five years ago, she did _not_ seem to be the understanding type.

_Hi Chi-Chi, your brother-in-law kidnapped your husband and nearly killed your son…_ Krillin thought sadly. _I can't do this… why is it always me? _

He was seriously considering gently dropping Gohan down and flying away to avoid inciting the woman's temper when she flung the door open, smacking the bald fighter across the face unintentionally.

"Ow…" moaned Krillin as he winced in pain, unable to rub the lump forming on his head because he was holding Gohan securely.

"My baby…" Chi-Chi whispered, snatching the young child out of Krillin's arms. The unconscious child was thoroughly inspected for a grand total of two seconds before her expression changed to one of pure rage. "WHERE THE HELL IS GOKU?! I SWEAR HE'S GOING TO PAY FOR PUTTING MY BABY IN SUCH…"

"He's gone…" muttered Krillin softly, scuffing his shoes against the rug, a habit he often did when nervous.

Unable to decipher the man's words, Chi-Chi continued her expression of emotions. "AND I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY HE WON'T BE SEEING ANOTHER PIECE OF FOOD FOR YEARS…"

"HE'S GONE, CHI-CHI!" Krillin hollered back at her, allowing the rage and nervousness he felt bubble up to the core of his emotions. However, after he took a good look at the woman's absolutely horrified mien, his voice box seemed to shrivel up yet again. "I-I'm sorry…"

"W-Where is he…?" questioned the now distraught mother, setting her son down onto a nearby couch.

Taking the unspoken invitation, Krillin walked inside the wooden house. "I'm sorry for your loss… just so you know, it wasn't his fault. His brother defeated him and took him into space. We can only assume the worst…"

Chi-Chi only glared at him, though it was far weaker than what the intimidating woman could normally muster up. Her gaze seemed to be one of an old woman who was fatigued and exhausted from the events her life had put him through. Who could blame her at this point? No woman should've ever been forced to tread the waters known as life without her family, the one she so loved.

It unnerved her. It struck fear into her heart. At last, the thought settled in; Goku was gone for good.

Feeling a well of emotions begin to build up inside her heart, Chi-Chi silently dashed to her room, completely forgetting about her still unconscious son. Moments later, loud wails could be heard from the small residence, and for once, Krillin couldn't complain about her shrieking.

Shockingly enough, throughout all of his mother's cries, Gohan remained lethargic, still recovering from the vicious backhand he'd been dealt from his uncle.

Krillin could only walk over and sit next to him, his forehead in his palm as he silently conveyed his thoughts to the young child. _I'm sorry kid, but you know what? We're toast. When your uncle comes back, he'll finish us off—both physically and mentally. As a Z-Fighter, I can't let that happen… and I already apologize for what I'm about to do._

* * *

Goku was currently entrapped inside a rejuvenation chamber, stripped of his signature outfit, which lay discarded in the alcove of the recovery room. The ominous tones of advanced technology processing the Saiyan's health and condition were the only noises in the otherwise serene room. None but Frieza's highest medic, Malaka, and Son Goku occupied this room, yet the air was thick with tension.

Nearly an hour ago, the Saiyan known as Raditz had entered Malaka's study, forcefully hurling the man currently recovering at the doctor's feet. Raditz had uttered no more than the simple order to heal the battered warrior before storming outwards to reconcile with his comrades.

By battered, Malaka meant absolutely broken. With such injuries as shattered ribs, a fractured skull, and a broken leg, it was a wonder that the fighter was still even breathing, much less recovering.

"I don't know who you are, Saiyan, but you've really lucked out this time." Malaka uttered, typing in yet another command to further the healing process. As more bubbles began to levitate upwards, the operation had been initiated.

As Raditz had previously mentioned, there hadn't been just him and his brother that represented the Saiyan race. No, there were two more who completed that classification, who were currently conversing with Raditz about the new arrival.

"Ha! A power level of only four-sixteen?" The bulky Saiyan questioned, throwing his head back from the amusement he found in his comrade's words. Truly, this had signified that Raditz had finally lost it: he was so weak, he actually dug up his feeble brother to prove his superiority over. "You're kidding us. No Saiyan of only four-sixteen would ever be able to survive against even the weakest bunch of the missions Frieza sends us on!"

Irritated by his comrade's words, Raditz slowly continued. "No, I'm not fooling around, Nappa. His power level may be worthless when compared to us, but with the right training, he could grow to be a valuable asset."

The smaller in size, Prince Vegeta, crossed his arms. "Don't be ridiculous, Raditz. You talk about potential, but how much time do we have? This isn't a brat we're talking about, Raditz, this is a grown man." He uncrossed his arms, dropping his arms to his sides before tightly clenching his fists. "By the time Kakarott actually grows in power to actually be of use to us, we'll be slaughtered by Frieza for becoming far too powerful!"

"Yes, I know, Vegeta." the long-haired Saiyan rebuked, growing impatient with his comrades. "However, haven't you heard about having safety in numbers? We already know our days are limited with Frieza, but Kakarott just might prove to help us in more ways than we can think of right now."

"Rgh!" The bulky Saiyan growled, raising his fist to Raditz's face. "You dare to mock Vegeta?!"

"Stand down, Nappa!" Vegeta all but shouted, walking towards his allies. "I don't need you fighting battles for me. If I need to…" he glanced at Raditz, realigning his status as the weakling with the simplest of smirks, "… I will put Raditz in my place myself. Is that clear?"

Before Nappa had the chance to reply, Vegeta held a gloved hand upwards to cut him off. "So, Raditz… it appears you _do _have a point, for once. We'll keep him along, but we'll have to convince Frieza of his usefulness…"

* * *

Above a forest clearing hovered two beings, one of a tall and muscular figure; the other a rather stout imp. The former currently had his arms crossed, looking at the latter expectantly. "Chiaotzu, is the bark ready yet?"

The aforementioned being seemed to glare at a log of wood, his psychic powers allowing him to lift it upwards and place it gently next to a small quarry. "I got it, Tien!" The former emperor had been forced by Tien to pick up some of the slack in their daily routine in order to ensure that Chiaotzu was doing the best he could to be ready. While not present at the social gathering, Tien had heard what happened—he wanted to be ready.

_"Hello… Tien...?"_

Tien's eyes widened; he put his hand on his forehead to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. Of course, he'd been used to telepathically communicating with Chiaotzu for quite a while, but this voice felt quite different. _"Is… that you, Kami?_"

_"Indeed, it is I, Tien. Unfortunately, I've heard of Goku's predicament. We need to ensure that there is at least one protector of the Earth in order to defend against the Saiyans accordingly."_

_"And Piccolo, right?"_

_"I no longer deem Piccolo an immediate threat. He's become… rather occupied, as of late. Now, come to the Lookout. Chiaotzu will train under Mr. Popo while you undergo training by King Kai."_

_"Kai… doesn't ring a bell."_

_"That's because he is not of this world. He resides in the Other World, which I can transport you to with little effort. However, it'll be up to you to pass Snake Way and receive his training. Now, hurry. Time is of the essence."_

* * *

"There. Done." Malaka punched in a few last commands, before the technology began to retract the fluids back into their filter. As a result of no longer feeling the soothing liquids refurbish his body, the Saiyan began to open his eyes.

"W-Where am I?" questioned the Saiyan, hopping out of the healing chamber and loudly cracking his neck. "I… don't remember this place."

"You're currently on Frieza's seventy-ninth planet, sir. Your brother Raditz brought you here after you suffered grievous wounds. My name is Malaka, and I'm the head doctor around this organization."

"B-Brother?" queried the Saiyan. "Where is he?"

"Allow me to call Raditz so that you can confer with him. From the way he spoke to me after dropping you off, it was rather urgent I allow the two of you to converse shortly after your healing."

It only took about a moment for the three Saiyans to walk into the recovery room, and they each met Goku with their own smirk. Before any words could be uttered, Raditz quickly tapped his scouter, its beeps being the only sound that reverberated across the dark and dreary room.

At last, it gave one last resounding sound, and Raditz grinned proudly. "Five-hundred and ten! Quite an accomplishment for someone at four-hundred and sixteen not even a day prior," he shot a rather sly smirk towards Vegeta, who only gave him a low growl as a response.

Deciding not to push his luck, the long-haired Saiyan continued onwards with his explanation. "Goku, these are my two Saiyan comrades. Nappa is the rather bulky one in appearance, and the one next to him is Prince Vegeta, the last of Saiyan royalty."

"Nice to meet you guys!" The rather friendly Saiyan grinned cheekily, waving to his new comrades. "My name is Goku."

"G-Goku…" Vegeta wanted to vomit at calling Kakarott by his Earth name, but, as was the plan, he did so. "Let me tell you now; I can tell that you're happy for some reason, whether it be that you're healthy again or that you feel stronger, but this is no time to be smiling like a circus clown. The four of us have to speak with Frieza, who's the damnable bastard who rules over us all. Speak only when you're spoken to in this meeting." Vegeta bluntly informed the Saiyan before walking off, arms crossed. Nappa would shortly follow after his Prince, though Raditz remained behind, seeming to be digging for something in a closet.

"No, no… ah, here we are." The long-haired Saiyan picked up a set of armor and a navy-blue jumpsuit before throwing them towards his brother. "Hurry up and change into this armor; Frieza won't be happy if we're late."

Goku scrutinized the armor that had been provided to him; it seemed rather akin to Vegeta's, though the style had no shoulder-guards. It was rather eerie how much the Saiyan looked like his new cohorts, but the worse had yet to come.

The next piece of technology the newest inductee to the band would receive was a teal scouter, which he quickly fixed upon his left ear.

He hadn't known it, but the transformation was complete: Son Goku, the champion of Earth, had become one of the last Saiyan purgers in existence.

Piccolo found himself levitating above the highlands, scowling as he recalled the words of the ex-monk.

"_Look… as much as I'd rather keep Gohan away from you, I know that the Earth is going to need all the advantages she can get if we want to be able to save the world. That's why I need you to train Gohan to be a powerful warrior."_

As he gazed upon the unconscious form of his rival's son, Piccolo felt his scowl tighten even further. "Oh, I'll train him… but you won't be happy with the end result."

"My, my Vegeta, it seems that your little crew has expanded." A rather slithery voice sounded throughout the briefing chambers, causing shivers to subconsciously run down the Prince's spine.

"Yes, Lord Frieza. Raditz was able to recruit a new member to your army," Vegeta forced the words out of his larynx, crouching down to one knee. His fellow Saiyans followed his lead; Goku only obliged because he'd seen no reason not to do so.

"So tell me, Raditz: who's this new person that you brought?" Frieza asked, turning his crimson eyes towards the cowardly Saiyan.

Mustering up the courage to speak, Raditz began his explanation. "The one I've recruited is known as Goku, my lord. He's a Saiyan who was sent off-planet to deal with a threat on a planet known as Earth, though I was able to find him and convince him to join our cause."

Goku's gaze suddenly shifted to Raditz, rather curious of why he attempted to lie. However, the short guy had told him to keep quiet until Frieza spoke to him, so he'd do just that.

"Is that right? Well, for going to a planet such as Earth and surviving for your whole life, congratulations." Frieza applauded with mock sincerity. "Now… Goku, was it? Tell me; do you understand how lucky you are?"

"Nah, not really," Goku replied, before suddenly receiving a swift elbow jab from his elder brother as a warning.

"You're one of the few monkeys left in the galaxy, Goku! How could you not recognize it's an honor to serve me? How sad, such a strong race reduced to a handful of warriors. Goku, to see what you can do, I'm sending you and Raditz to planet Arlia to deal with some pesky rebels," Frieza ordered.

The tyrant paused significantly in order to gauge the Saiyan's reaction. _Odd,_ _he seems almost excited. Must be his Saiyan blood…_

"Vegeta and Nappa, a small planet known as Zoon is where you two will be going. The gravity there is the same as Planet Vegeta..._was..._, so you should have no problems."

Lastly, the Arcosian gave a glance towards the newest soldier in his organization. "You're very lucky to be part of my organization, Goku. Don't fail me!" Frieza warned ominously.

"I won't!" replied the cheery Saiyan.

Frieza took a brief moment to give a sadistic glare towards each of the Saiyans before smiling maliciously. _Ah, a fresh soul to break… those are always amusing… _"Dismissed."

* * *

_Not much to say here, but I do hope you enjoyed. I'll admit that I'm not really satisfied with the edits on this chapter. It just seemed rather difficult for me, though I can say that the quality is much improved from the original. _

_Goku(Zenkai): 510_  
_Raditz(Zenkai): 1,360_  
_Nappa: 6,000_  
_Vegeta: 18,000_  
_Zarbon: 23,000_  
_Dodoria: 22,000_  
_Frieza(1st Form):530,000_  
_Tien: 298_  
_Chiaotzu: 95_  
_Krillin: 136_


	3. Chapter III: New Beginnings

**Chapter 3: New Beginnings**

Snake Way was a deceptive beast. At first glance, running down the perilous path would be an easy and mundane task.

However, Tien would quickly learn that not everything was as it seemed. According to the advice of one dear old ogre, Snake Way was a one million kilometers—or six-hundred and twenty five thousand mile, if you prefer— long death gauntlet, that only one person in recorded history had ever completed. Of course, this little facto didn't stop our favorite triclops; he thought he could handle the intense pressure.

Looking back on the decision, Tien wanted to shoot a Dodon Ray through his heart. The run was putting such a strain on his body that the former student of Master Shen just wanted to submit and run away from the accursed trail.

Unfortunately, Tien knew this wasn't any viable option. Nobody else but him could brave this fiendish path but him; he was Earth's last hope along with Krillin, Yamcha and begrudgingly, Piccolo. To be considered the strongest person on Earth normally would be an honor, but now he was starting to realize responsibility that came with the title. He couldn't let down his friends, Launch, or his planet as a whole.

"I guess I'll have to thank Kami for this opportunity. He was right when he said that this was an unprecedented accomplishment," Tien muttered out loud, seeming to run down the winding way perpetually.

In fact, permission to traverse Snake Way was so rare that even the great King Yemma—the only soul to ever complete it—had been skeptical to about granting the clearance for Tien to even make the attempt. It had taken Kami groveling at his feet for Tien to be cleared to try, which only worked because Kami mentioned that at least six billion people would die if he didn't. Since the overworked justice didn't want to deal with an additional six billion people at his door step, Ye,ma gave permission for the triclops to brave the perils of Snake Way in hopes that he could recieve training from the legendary Kai of the North Galaxy.

"King Kai," muttered Tien out loud, perplexed at who the enigmatic martial artist really was. "Didn't Kami say that he's extremely strong? I can't wait to start training!" Tien exclaimed as he oriented himself to his surroundings. They weren't that spectacular; there were yellow clouds, and there were more yellow clouds surrounding those. It seemed that no matter how long the motivated triclops ran, he was frozen still in the same spot.

Another off-topic interjected itself in Tien's mind. "What I don't get is this: why does Kami have such faith that Piccolo is no longer a threat? I get that he's the guardian of Earth and all, but we're talking about Piccolo here. Well, no matter; if King Kai is as strong as Kami has implied he is, I ought to be strong enough to neutralize any plan Piccolo concocts and be able to execute him without any issue." After another monotonous passage of time on the devilish path, the warrior was astounded to discover that nothing looked different. He had expected _something_ to change while he was running.

"It's clear that by just running incessantly on this road, I can feel myself growing stronger. Still… just when will I ever reach the end? I can't keep running forever and ever; I'm starting to run on fumes. King Kai… where the heck are you?" Tien groaned, falling to his knees; about to faint in exhaustion. _Can't ...keep this up much longer..._

* * *

The Northern Mountains of Earth were world renowned for their isolation and drear. Most people simply couldn't deal with the extreme cold and loneliness that would've been necessities for living in a sequestered mountain range. Remarkably though, two figures heedlessly disregarded these warning and had traversed the perils of climbing through the mountain range, advancing steadfastly towards the subject of their desires.

Amazingly, both of these young individuals reached their final destination: a dingy looking cave hollowed out on the side of a cliff that overlooked a grand valley that had been carved out by the numerous mountains that dotted the landscape. At the very opening of the cave, both figures were pondering the prudence of their self-delegated plan.

The figure on the left was a handsome albeit slightly effeminate young man. This impression came primarily from his slender frame and from the mall-rat style of clothes he wore. It was clear that wearing a black shirt with white sleeves underneath, denim jeans and blue shoes wasn't very "manly" in North City. Granted, nobody had the gall—or stupidity—to say that to his face when they recognized the revolver in his pocket, just waiting to be fired at command.

The figure on the left was his lovely sister. She stood next to him, adorned with a denim jacket and matching skirt, blue leggings and cowboy boots. Starkly contrasted with her pale white skin, the woman wore a black shirt with striped sleeves. Her outfit seemed to be out of style as well, the jacket's sleeves having been torn off in a battle to the death between her and another woman in a rival gang. Her outfit seemed to be a mix of the modern day city girl mixed in with the older days of the cowboys.

"Are you sure we should do this?" advised the girl, staring skeptically into the chasm that housed a scientist's research complex. She may've had cold feet before on several occasions before now, but she was rarely wrong when she felt that instinctual pit of dread pooling in her stomach. It was why they'd been able to flee from the law and be successful so many times before.

"Positive," replied the boy, suavely flicking his silkily smooth black locks away from his face. "We've been run out of North City when they caught our gang—it'd be foolish to go back, would it not?"

"Do you realize who's behind this metal door?" questioned the girl, a tad perturbed at her brother's unwavering confidence. "Remember, we're talking about Dr. Gero. If those news reports are even slightly true, we're not dealing with some lackey or street grunt we can boss around. We'll be dealing with a true criminal mastermind."

"And so is he," replied the boy's smooth charismatic voice, amplified by his arrogant tone. The boy really did believe his sister and his feeble gang had been comparable in both power and influence to the might of the former Red Ribbon Army. "It wouldn't hurt to have strength in numbers. And who knows? Gero's been rumored to have held off the cops for twenty years... perhaps he has something that will allow us to do the same."

"Fine, but if he pulls anything funny, I'm going to kill you," fired back the sumptuous girl, leveling a half-hearted glare at the black-haired boy. _He's going to kill me one of these days._

The male smirked, a feature that would become his signature trademark in the years to come. "Fine, then. Just remember sis, he's an old man. Whipping out my good ol' gun will get him to talk our language."

* * *

"It's up…and up…and up…and a home run! Player thirty-seven has scored yet another home run!" cried the baseball announcer, mesmerized by the ease in which Yamcha sent the baseball careening out of the ballpark.

"How many home runs does he have this season, Makoto?" asked Shingo, awestruck by the furious display of greatness they were witnessing.

"Well, Shingo, I'm pretty sure that the new addition to the Titans, that Yamcha fellow, has scored 656 home runs in the short time that he's been here," replied Makoto, equally enraptured by such a wild display of power.

"One has got to wonder how Yamcha became so good at baseball!" fired back Shingo. The virulent strain of awe had become so endemic, it was spreading to the players that Yamcha was playing against.

"Yamcha! Yamcha! Yamcha!" A not-so-distant chorus of female teenagers had started to erupt with praise, flattery and even the occasional lude comment towards the world-famous slugger. Every girl was finding some way to exhibit their crush on the scar-faced man in front of the entire world.

Meanwhile, Yamcha was running around the bases at top speed before he paused suddenly and dramatically leaped onto the home plate a moment afterward…

Unfortunately for Yamcha's pride, his foot slipped on the bottom of the plate, causing the former bandit to slide awkwardly right onto his rear end. The crowd gasped with shock. Was their idol okay?

Yamcha stood up and brushed the dirt off of his uniform, smirking as he raised his fist up in the air, pretending as if it was all just a ruse. _I gotta be sure to do that again… otherwise my fangirls will think I'm a fool._

One woman saw past this ruse and was far from pleased. It was sad reality that she was the only woman that mattered in the long run. His air-kisses and waves back to the star-struck girls weren't really helping his case, either.

"YAMCHA!" shrieked the cry of an enraged blue-haired woman, somehow standing out from all of the other cheering females in the crowd. Her boyfriend scratched his head in response.

"Sorry!"

* * *

Somewhere in the universe, Planet Zoon and its people—called the Zoonians—were enjoying another normal day. Granted, all days were exemplary since the cataclysmic drought that almost wiped out all the Zoonian population and had reduced their homeland into a barren rock. Fortunately, the Zoonians were able to salvage their inert rock of a planet and had been able restored their land to its former glory. New Pocus—Zoon's capital city—was a bustling metropolis with hordes of Zoonians and many other species doing many routine things. It appeared that life had truly turned around for the Zoonians.

These hopeful people wouldn't have much to be hopeful about in just a few moments. Two unidentified flying objects appeared high in the sky, gathering the attention of every Zoonian in Pocus. It was a shame that it was Nappa and Vegeta in that pod instead of more…gracious guests.

Crashing in a wasteland outside of the city, a band of Zoonians immediately ran to the crash site to confront these newcomers. Soon enough, the pods opened up revealing two rather intimidating men. What was unique about their intimidating capability was that one was intimidating because of his unholy glare and menacing features, while the other derived intimation because of his large and bulky figure. It was safe to say that the Zoonians were frightened of these aliens.

"Well, Nappa, this is Planet Zoon. Much ado about nothing if you ask me," Vegeta commented, briskly walking out of his pod's fuselage and smirking dangerously at the natives.

"I can agree with you on that, Vegeta. This place is filled with nothing but weaklings!" Nappa taunted, pressing the power level sensor on his scouter. "Huh? The highest power level here is only 500! I can't believe Frieza would send us here; this is child's play."

"Maybe not for Raditz, mind you," mocked Vegeta, laughing obnoxiously from his cruel joke. In the meantime, one audacious Zoonian had walked towards the Saiyan warriors.

Unfortunately, this audacious young lad wasn't a warrior, but a member of the apparent impromptu welcoming committee. "H-hello! Welcome to Planet Zoon! Your space pod must've crash landed here unexpectedly. Can we be of any assistance in repairing it for you?" offered the man, hoping they'd accept their offer and subsequently leave them in peace.

Vegeta's angered eyes slid over to meet the alien's gaze. Unfortunately for the Zoonian, he had no idea what this man was truly capable of. "Sure, why not?"

"Really?" The alien responded hopefully, forcing Vegeta to close his eyes in abject frustration at their foolishness.

"Yeah, not really," the prince replied, pointing a finger at the Zoonian's chest while shooting a razor thin beam straight through his heart, killing him almost instantaneously.

Vegeta's gesture wasn't exactly appreciated by the rest of the Zoonian's. "No! Tafon! You animals, how could you kill an innocent like that?" A Zoonian cried out, completely horrified by the cruelty that Vegeta defined his life by.

"Listen up if you want to save your hides. The only way any of you are going to survive is if you willingly take me to your leader. Otherwise, I'll make sure that everyone on this mudball dies!" Vegeta growled, menacingly stepping forward to confront the rest of the band. Of course, everybody would die anyway, but they didn't need to know that. Unfortunately, he gravely miscalculated their loyalty towards their own king.

"We refuse to bring you to our king! That would be the ultimate betrayal!" The alien exclaimed, flipping the saiyan off. Unknowingly, their death warrants had been signed.

"Then you shall die as well," Vegeta sneered, his characteristic sadistic attitude reemerging to take the place of his unusual amused tone. In a second, he had phased behind the man and dropped an elbow into the crevice of his neck, breaking it effortlessly.

"Hey, Nappa! Are you going to help me or what?" yelled the prince at his "bodyguard," who was absentmindedly standing there doing a whopping total of nothing.

"Huh?" muttered Nappa, his trance broken by the loud snap in Vegeta's voice. Once he realized what his prince was asking of him, he obliged himself to do it. "Oh yeah, Vegeta!" Nappa exclaimed happily, while erecting an energy barrier around himself that disintegrated all of the Zoonians in the vicinity of the not-so-lovable lug.

"Hey Vegeta, why don't we just head into the city and blow it up before they people know we're here?" Nappa's simple stratagem actually made genuinely Vegeta grin for once.

"Do what you want. However, I'm going to be the one who'll eliminate the king. Perhaps he's like Kakarott: able to control his power level at will." Vegeta's ultimatum went unanswered; Nappa had already flown ahead of him, preparing his Volcano Explosion attack on the city below him.

"Damn it, Nappa! Come back here!" Vegeta screamed, flying towards the stupid oaf at full speed before he could level the city to the ground.

Nappa heard Vegeta's voice over the planet's jet stream and immediately ceased what he was doing. "All right, Vegeta, I'm sorry. It's just that it's been so long since we got a good mission in," whined Nappa, hoping that his prince wasn't too angry with him. "Look over there; I think that's the castle right there!" exclaimed Nappa, pointing towards a giant white building in the distance.

"Excellent. I was thinking of eliminating the king personally, but I have a better idea." The Saiyan prince gathered a disk of energy in his hand and fired it at a couple of the main buildings, slicing them in half. Watching the wanton destruction made the shorter Saiyan howl in laughter. Seeing urchins getting crushed by falling buildings never got old. It was quite rare that the Prince of all Saiyans had this kind of attitude with his purging missions- however, it was times like these where Vegeta truly could live out his fallen dreams of controlling a planet; able to control how the people acted, the order of a city. It was a true shame that Vegeta's little world soon collapsed on him when he realized that he'd have to clean it up for Frieza.

The thought of it angered him, serving another being like this. What would his father say if he saw his son in his current position? Belittle him for his weakness? Tell him off for not avenging his people? He still had one last hope left, even if he could never match Frieza in power.

The Super Saiyan.

Apparently, it was a transformation that gave its host the ultimate fighting power; able to decimate any being in its path. Vegeta longed for that power, to grasp it and simply vaporize Frieza with a flick of his palm; to have millions of subjects swear loyalty to Lord Vegeta, the Super Saiyan.

That was impossible now, though. Vegeta still had to find the trigger to become a Super Saiyan... and _survive _long enough, that is. Nobody could truly read the complex being that was Frieza- he could praise you on a job well done, yet brutally slaughter you the next day for some far-fetched reason. And of course, Frieza's lackeys would jump at the chance to finish off Vegeta; he'd often gotten away with one-upping Zarbon and Dodoria simply for being a child. Once he had grown into his adult body, Zarbon had jumped at the chance to slowly torture the Prince- justifying his power level increase from 6,000 to 9,000 at that time.

Vegeta was abruptly disconnected from his thoughts when he heard his comrade's voice ring out in the atmosphere.

"This is gonna be one hell of a party!" Nappa rejoiced, clenching his fists and smiling obtusely. The brutish Saiyan flicked two fingers up in the air, completely prepared to obliterate at least part of the city. Almost immediately, every high-rise and low-rise in the city had spontaneously exploded in union with one another. Outside of the destructive duo, nobody knew what just happened. The remains were concealed by smokescreen and only a blaringly loud discordant wall of sound could be heard. Alas, our friends the Zoonians didn't even know what had hit them.

Deciding to abandon his thoughts, Vegeta smugly smiled as he raised his palms."Hey Nappa, here's a new definition to that pitiful term you call mass destruction!" Quickly, the prince shelled the streets of New Pocus with a barrage of rapid energy waves, clearly aimed at running Zoonians that were still on fleeing from the ruined city on the ravaged streets. These simple inhabitants tried to dodge, but they all failed miserably, each alien emitting a quick scream before their vaporization.

The prince and his lackey took a few minutes to scout out for any distant signs of life. Everything would be all for naught if they let even one soul survive the holocaust they caused. Once they were satisfied with their search, both saiyans took off to the castle: the last bastion of Zoonian resistance.

"Hey Vegeta, I've been meaning to ask you, what do you think of Kakarot?" Nappa asked.

"Having a power level of five-hundred and ten is nothing to boast about, Nappa. Strangely though, I have a feeling that he'll soon surpass Raditz. His hit to the head that he suffered was a blessing in disguise for all of us, in a way. Think about it. We've been searching the galaxies for another Saiyan ever since we stopped looking for Tarble. He can help restore the Saiyan race to its former glory!" Vegeta exclaimed.

"I don't understand, Vegeta. There's no female Saiyans left in the galaxy as far as we know," Nappa questioned, compelling Vegeta to place his glove over his forehead rather forcefully.

"Not the point, moron! It feels good to have another Saiyan with us, doesn't it? Being stuck with the vermin that Frieza employs gets extremely annoying, right? Besides, perhaps Kakarot can be of use to us once he grows stronger. Who knows? Maybe he'll be instrumental in helping me achieve my goal!" It was a known fact: even thinking about the legendary, untapped source of power that Saiyans had the ability to access made Vegeta warm and fuzzy inside. It almost felt like a childhood blanket, the warm stitching making him smirk with content.

Of course, Nappa had forgotten Vegeta's goal. "What goal?" Nappa asked.

"The goal? To become a Super Saiyan, you dolt," snapped Vegeta, secretly smiling at the thought of eventually becoming the legend. "It is my birthright to be the Saiyan who rises up and kills Frieza with the legendary power unrivaled throughout all of history! Once that effeminate Arcosian is taken care of; Cooler's next on my list. And then..." Vegeta closed his eyes, almost as if he were soaking his dreams all in. "I become Lord Vegeta, feared throughout the galaxy!"

Nappa sadistically smiled at the thought. "I look forward to serving you as ruler of the galaxy, Prince Vegeta."

The Prince reopened his eyes and flared his aura, speeding in front of Nappa enveloped in a nimbus of blue fire. "That'll be Lord Vegeta, Nappa."

* * *

Mount Paozu—the main landmark of the remote District 439 of the Eastern Destrict was a known for being unnaturally tranquil and relaxing. Unfortunately, a lot of this charm had dissipated since Goku had departed into outer space.

In the meantime, Krillin had decided to stay with Chi-Chi while she recovered from the shock of her husband's indefinite disappearance. The good-natured Saiyan had helped the monk on so many occasions over the years; he viewed it as his moral obligation to help his wife come to terms with his loss. Of course, Goku's father-in law, the Ox-King, had also gotten wind of the news, equally stunned by how everything went down. He notified Chi-Chi immediately about coming over to check on his precious daughter. Regrettably, work would hinder his ability to visit her for a couple of days.

Within his own mind though, Krillin missed his best friend dearly. Sure, it had been a while since he had last seen him, but Goku was his best friend; the only person who had the moral beliefs to stand up for what they believed in. Goku was the one who befriended him when they were children; at a time when he detested him. Now he'd have to live without his eldest friend.

It was like most days in the Son household now: Chi-Chi had just awoken in a state of remembrance, believing that her husband would be snoring beside her. Once she realized she was deluding herself, she began to hysterically cry. A cold, dejected, inconsolable cry. Krillin was severely hurt by seeing Chi Chi in this kind of state, especially considering that Goku wasn't coming back to assuage her fears and worries any time soon. Unfortunately, the only thing he felt like he could do for her was vacuum her living room.

Chi-Chi wasn't great at first impressions. She would often give off an aura of being a scary and demanding woman with an overprotective streak a mile wide. Deep down though, everybody knew she was this way because of how powerful the bond was between her and her friends and family. She abhorred the site of anybody she loved being put into danger, which was why she pressed the issue of Gohan becoming a scholar. Dying was a very hard thing to task to accomplish if all you were carrying was a book bag.

Speaking of the tyke, the woman had been even quieter about Gohan's disappearance than Goku's. Krillin expected her to castrate him when he had told her that Piccolo was training her son—he was expecting that he have to saying something in his defense like "It was for the best!" Miraculously though, she had understood, although the why was an enigma for everybody. Granted, she did want an occasional casualty report from the monk about how her son was holding up in Piccolo's brutal training regimen. While she begrudgingly knew it was for the best that her son was trained to protect the Earth, he was still her baby. No amount of kidnapping or brutal death would change that, especially with the fact that it was Piccolo who would be training Gohan.

She hadn't forgotten that faithful day 5 years ago, where Piccolo had nearly killed her husband at the World Martial Arts Tournament. Chi-Chi had been there when Piccolo had unleashed his final attack- one that was actually thought to have rid the Earth of Goku unti the aforementioned Saiyan bounced back with a headbutt to the ribcage, effectively winning the match as a result. Unlike Krillin and Yamcha, she didn't expect Piccolo to change his ways from a villain from a child's pure heart. No, as far as she was concerned, Piccolo was a pure demon through and through; a heart full of stone residing in the green organism's chest.

Suddenly, the Son matron walked into the kitchen to Krillin's immense delight. _Oh, she's coming in,_ smiled Krillin, vigilantly watching over the depressed housewife. Sadly, the monk was observant enough to notice that her face was red and her eyes and cheeks were clearly swollen; the telltale sign of crying.

The monk thought it would be prudent to joke with the distraught housewife, perhaps try to laugh her way back to normal."Years of living with Master Roshi teaches you how to keep a house clean, I guess," Krillin joked, hoping that he hadn't offended her in anyway. It was a really lame attempt at horsing around… then again, he reminded himself. This _was _Krillin. And while in the past he'd feel wistful about it, Son Goku's contagious bright and dominating attitude melted it all away.

Chi-Chi had been in a trance for so long that she barely recognized Krillin's witticism. His smooth, caressing voice was the only thing that truly woke her up. Upon shaking off the exhaustion, she stared mutely at Krillin's absolutely beaming smile. He was ecstatic that he was able to get her thinking coherently again, even if it was for a moment. Everyone _had _to start somewhere when dealing with grief"Hey, good morning Chi-Chi. How'd you sleep?" He asked his best friend's wife, turning off the vacuum and setting it aside.

"I slept…well, Krillin. Thank you for asking," Chi-Chi sighed, clearly lying when she claimed she had slept well. Krillin knew that the agony she was suffering through was something he couldn't fathom to be subjugated to. It would take more than one night for her to instantly recover.

That didn't mean that he'd verbalize his thoughts, though. "Well, that's good to hear. Hey, I was gonna make breakfast today. Are you hungry?" asked Krillin with an aura of concern. Chi-Chi merely nodded at the inquiry. The two walked into the kitchen where Krillin started cooking some eggs.

"Hey Krillin…" Chi-Chi started after a few minutes of silence, getting Krillin's attention. The monk was divided between taking the eggs off the stove and looking at Chi-Chi.

"I just wanted to say…well, thanks for staying with me. It means a lot, and I have a feeling that there are other things that you have to do, but I really appreciate the gesture. You staying here with me really has been a godsend to me!" Chi-Chi's proclamation almost made him slip as he was transferring the eggs from the stove to the kitchen counter-top. His height hadn't helped him, considering he was levitating to perform this maneuver.

"Chi-Chi…you're my best friend's wife. Goku's been there for me for the longest time, and I know that he'd want me to watch over you if he wasn't able to."

Krillin knew that Chi-Chi was having trouble even talking after all of the shock that had happened. The bald-headed warrior gave Chi-Chi her breakfast and sat down next to her, ignoring his responsibilty to go to the market to purchase corn for Roshi and Oolong. The kidnapping of Goku had changed everyone's aspect on life- you never did know when your time with a loved one would end, forcing you to truly comprehend the value of friendships. It was why Oolong had actually tried to make amends for making fun of Puar, and was also the cause of Roshi throwing away his magazines. While he still did have his perverse nature, the Turtle Hermit realized that just like Goku, Krillin could've been spirited away at any time as well- he truly realized that life was not eternal; while he may not die, his friends would eventually. Roshi vowed to maximize the time that his friends had left. That much, he at least owed to Goku for everything he'd done for the Earth.

"I know, but…I miss Goku so much! It's not fair! He was the worst person that anyone could've taken, and I'm not just saying that because he's my husband. I wish we knew where he was…" Chi-Chi trailed off, tears gathering in her eyes when she thought of her estranged husband.

"Listen Chi-Chi, I can't lie to you. Even if Goku was still here, there would have been a chance that one day something would have happened. He could've had a hole in his chest; maybe even sacrificing his life to save the Earth from a foe. Our solemn duty is to protect the Earth from all threats. We live every day of our lives training so that we can protect those we love and care about from attack. I just can't bear how distraught you are. It rips through my soul to see such an undeserving being of pure sadness that I'm more than willing to stick around longer until you're feeling better. What happened is a tragedy, but don't forget that there are people who care about you and want the best for you," Krillin said, hugging Chi Chi with a supportive pat on the shoulder.

"Listen: I uh…I wanna go take a quick shower; I'll be back," Krillin assured her, jumping up and smiling at Chi-Chi as he walked towards the bathroom.

"I can't believe it…he actually comforted me. I don't think Goku would have ever done that, he was too dense," Chi-Chi whispered, starting to gorge on her eggs.

* * *

"Well, here we are, Goku. This is your first mission—since you lost your memory that is," Raditz hastily added. "Here's the plan: you'll destroy the city to the west, while I'll take the one on the—"

"Wait, we're gonna kill 'em?" questioned Goku. "Why? What'd they do to us?"

"Kak—Goku," Raditz corrected himself quickly, before Goku could press him for about the meaning of his saiyan name. "Precisely, they did do nothing to us, but that's irrelevant. When you were a part of this organization, you completely understood. It wasn't long ago—back when you were still a baby—that Frieza decided to kill our people and blow up our home planet. When the dust settled, there weren't even any ashes left to mourn the loss of our entire race. It was like we and our saiyan heritage had never existed in the first place….And if it weren't for the four of us, that would be true. You see brother; we are the last true remnants of Planet Vegeta… and because of this, our self-appointed goal is to ensure that Frieza falls by a Saiyan's hand."

The newest recruit to the Planet Trade Organization scratched his head sheepishly at Raditz's monologue. He still didn't get it; his naïve brainpower clearly failing to make the connection. "So then why is it important to kill these guys?"

Raditz blatantly ignored Kakarot's inquiry; he had just saw something dangerous in his peripheral vision. "Kakarot, get down!" Raditz suddenly hollered.

Goku—figuring that there was no one else his brother could have been speaking to—suddenly dropped onto his stomach, looking on incredulously as the deadly beam passed just over him.

As he turned to look behind him, he saw an Arlian fall to the ground with a hole in its chest. "Wa-Wow…thanks, Raditz," he chirped happily, obviously grateful to have not been killed.

"It only proves my point, Kakarot. Kill or be killed," sternly warned Raditz, stoically watching over the corpse of the Arlian he had killed. The long-haired warrior sighed melancholically before turning his head to face his wayward brother's. "You don't have to like what we do, and neither do I, for that matter. However, that doesn't change this universal truth: if we don't conquer planets and become stronger, Frieza and his evil clan will rule the universe until the end of time."

Goku's face immediately hardened, his chest tightened involuntary from the austere tone that Raditz used to convey his ultimatum. A flood of his unbreakable resolve flooded through his subconscious, a power and will much more powerful than Frieza could've ever fathomed. He met Raditz's concerned expression with a dazzling amount of self-confidence. "I won't let that happen! For all the Saiyans he's killed… we'll avenge them and defeat Frieza!"

His brother grinned sadistically, raising his fist in pure triumph. "Yes, my brother! Amen! Now you're thinking like a true Saiyan, Kakarot!"

_Kakarot…what's a Kakarot? _Goku was perplexed by Raditz's repeated references to Kakarot. It was like he viewed them as the same person, which they were clearly not. Was he mistaking him for another Saiyan that he used to know? "Which reminds me… why do you keep calling me Kakarot?"

Raditz froze inside, cursing his forgetfulness with all his might. Fortunately for him, Goku was by no means a master of interpreting what people were thinking. Who else in the world would've been unable to tell the difference between the anatomical makeup of an average boy or girl at first glance in their not-so-distant past; of course this was assuming that they weren't provided with the opportunity to touch them near their groin? After a couple of mental inquiries and suspicious questions, Raditz found a suitable rebuttal to Goku's question. "That was your nickname. In the Saiyan language, Kakarot means 'of great dedication and spirit.' We gave you that nickname because you were so determined to avenge our people."

"Oh… I get it now," answered Goku, sheepishly holding his hand over his head. It didn't take a ventriloquist to figure out he was embarrassed of his lack of knowledge.

"Good… now, let's hurry," added Raditz, turning his head away from Goku. "I don't want to make Lord Frieza angry because of a delay."

Left with nothing else to say, the two Saiyans blasted off towards the heart of the city that happened to be closest to them. Upon first glance, the two doppelgangers began to shell every structure in their respective paths with large ki blasts, letting their remains slowly begin to crumble into nothingness.

* * *

"King Moai!" saluted an adjutant, kneeling before his allegedly omnipotent lord. The mortal fear in his voice was practically palpable.

The annoyed King didn't even turn to face his subject, not showing the grunt even a modicum of respect or dignity. "What is it, Lesoy?"

"There are two men attacking our cities!" cried the civil servant, forgetting his militaristic duties completely.

_Why do I even bother looking in the yellow pages for help anymore? This guy is supposed to be the strongest champion in my army and he can't even figure out I want him to fight for me! _The King snorted derisibly at the cowardly merc. "So? Aren't you my strongest warrior? Get out there and fight them!"

"Sir…." The adjutant was starting to speak, but only gargled hiss and moans came out of his maw. Whatever was happening, the despot deduced it was an important manner.

The autocrat casually turned to face his military adjutant, and no words could describe the fearful expression that crossed his normally callous face. It was Lesoy's torso, or lack thereof, that horrified our favorite despot.

Perched behind his lifeless were his killers, two warriors that were brilliant contrasts to one another. One had the most blood lusting sneer in the world adorning his face; the other merely looked on at the spectacle with a moroseness that could only occurs from being unknowingly forced into a state of privation. Upon closer inspection from the King, the one with the blue eyepiece seemed almost wistful at killing off the warrior—though he could also feel an aura of determination radiating off of the shorter-haired fighter that transcended this feeling.

"Surrender peacefully, and we won't have to kill you," spoke the man with the blue eyepiece, not realizing he was deceiving the king. "There isn't any need to fight! Just give up willingly!"

The long-haired man next to him thrust his elbow into his comrade's ribs as a warning. "_Don't show them any sign of fear or hesitation. They'll use that against you," _he messaged his brother telepathically_._

Goku silently communicated to his brother that he understood. "So what's it gonna be? Are you going to give up without a battle?"

The King—while his mouth was not visible—was frowning furiously at their proclamations. "Summon the Yetti!" he commanded in a dignified manner.

Almost immediately after the order had been given, an artificial crevice opened up underneath the feet of the two saiyans. Since both warriors forgot they could fly temporarily, they both fell through the floor into a hollowed out cavity deep below Arlia. Unfortunately, they weren't alone; a large being with yellow skin was sharing their misery, roaring furiously when it saw Raditz and Goku come down to its humble abode. It hadn't eaten in a long time; it was very happy to see fresh, new meat.

Goku frowned at the creature, tapping his scouter to retrieve a reading on the Yetti's power level—apparently forgetting that he (or rather, his former self) could sense energy. "Well, that thing doesn't look very nice."

It took every ounce of restraint on his elder brother's part not to do one of the following things: roll his eyes, slap himself in the forehead, or accost Goku for his naivety._Kakarot may've lost his memory, but his childish demeanor is still a dominate aspect of his personality….No matter; a few months with Frieza will change that._

"What's the reading?" inquired Raditz, readying himself to exterminate one overfed insect. _Why don't I get paid to deal with this crap? Oh yeah, I'm a slave. Curse you, Frieza!_

Goku's eyes expanded to the size of dinner places as the reading appeared on his screen. "Uh…Raditz…what's your power level?"

"I'd assume that my power peaks at around maybe fourteen-hundred. Why?" answered Raditz, not liking the way Goku was acting at all. If Goku was even slightly serious, it was best to be on his guard.

"This guy's got a reading of over 2,000!" exclaimed Goku, rolling his fingers into a fist so he wouldn't destroy his scouter out of frustration.

Raditz couldn't help his eyes widened in incredulous shock. "Dang," he joked. _Now isn't that the understatement of the millennium._

The Yetti wasn't waiting around for them to devise a plan; it was much too hungry to allow its prey to escape. With an intimidating roar, the overgrown Arlian launched two piercing laser beams from its eyes, forcing Goku and Raditz to leap in either direction to avoid being sliced in two.

Acting as impulsive as he ever had, Goku dove into the fray and lifted his leg into the air in an attempt to kick the Yetti in the chin. Unfortunately, our favorite Saiyan recruit was unable to put a dent in the cannibalistic Arlian, whom retaliated by swiping one of its massive fists across Goku's cranium, sending the Earth-raised Saiyan soaring into the walls of the cavern.

"Goku!" Raditz cried, rushing forward to confront the Yetti, snarling incoherently to slam home his rage. However—unlike his brother—Raditz had devised a strategy to defeat the Yetti. The first step of this plan was that he'd fire a quick pink energy blast at the Arlian's face. As the long-haired Saiyan had astutely picked up on, the Yetti was completely foreign to the concept of energy. Because of this ignorance, the behemoth was unprepared to guard against the exploding projectile. Just as Raditz predicted, the explosion forced the cannibal to stumble backwards, until it smashed into the walls of the castle from underground. The sheer force of the impact felled a part of the castle above.

Following in hot pursuit, the long-haired saiyan charged and released his signature blast—the Saturday Crush—directly into one of the Yetti's eyes, propelling the massive Arlian through the underground castle walls, causing mountains of debris to seal up the exit Upon impact, large chunks of masonry rained down on the Arlian, pinning down the beast and clouding the area with a smokescreen. Raditz quickly followed it up with a barrage of energy waves.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Goku's mind, something strange was going on. He was watching two dark visages a great distance from one another. Strangely enough, he could hear everything they were talking about.

* * *

"_I'm going to need you to hold him off for a good five minutes in order for this technique to work. Think you can handle it?" sounded out one of the figures; their voice unidentifiable as they stood._

"_Yeah! Course I can! Just focus on that beam—it's our last hope!"_

_A silhouette charged a pulsing beam of crackling electricity as his power grew rapidly. However hard he tried, he could not make out that figure._

"_Now die! Special Beam Cannon!"_

* * *

Goku regained consciousness almost instantly after the prophetic vision faded, beginning to sit up when Raditz was taking the fight to the barbaric Yetti. In his awakened stupor, he had to question what he had just seen. _Was that… a dream? Or was that a memory? Either way, I can't let Raditz die!_

He touched two fingers to his forehead in a manner similar to what he'd saw in his vision—and just like in the vision, sparkling energy began to crackle around his fingertips._"Hang on, Raditz! Just give me a little time!"_

* * *

Despite the differences in power levels, Raditz was easily holding his own against the Yetti. What the beast had in pure strength was negated by its stupidity and predictability. By now, Raditz was laughing mockingly at the hideous creature as he parried its slow and feeble attacks. It was a shame that he couldn't break through the creature's armor; it would be dead for certain if he had a technique that could do so. Alas, Raditz had to resort to merely tiring out the monster and killing him when its energy was lower than his.

"Take this!" A shout echoed throughout the chamber, and a small patch of yellow light becoming visible behind Raditz's shoulder. As the pulsing blast traversed through the atmosphere, Raditz dove to the side to ensure safety.

A spiraling, bright yellow beam rocketed past Raditz's former location, nearly taking out his shoulder guard as it blew past his leaping figure and directly through the core of the Yetti's heart. Lifelessly, it fell to the floor, twitching violently before its heart stopped beating and its existence was snuffed out like a candle.

The long-haired Saiyan looked at his brother—who had two fingers extended as he panted heavily in exhaustion—with a combination of astonishment, respect and admiration. _I knew recruiting you wasn't a bad idea, Goku. Together, we'll end Frieza with the power of the Saiyans!_

"Now…" Raditz frowned, teleporting with Goku over to King Moai—who'd tried to escape during their imprisonment with the Yetti. The look of bewilderment on the King's face was positively glorious. "Want to give up your planet the easy way, or the hard way? I sincerely hope that you choose the latter."

King Moai whimpered as he was picked up by Raditz, who had slung his hand around the Arlian's neck and had begun to choke the King slowly. "I…concede…"

"Good," replied Raditz, with a sneer plastered on his lips. He dropped the breathless King onto the ground rather roughly.

Suddenly, a second blast rocketed past Raditz and destroyed King Moai in a blue flare of light, the power of the energy wave generating small a small dust cloud.

Goku lowered his palm, revealing that it'd been him who had vaporized Moai. "He wouldn't have changed. There was no hope for him—he'd be dedicated to destroying us for the rest of his life. I think we're done here."

The long-haired Saiyan grinned as he walked over to Goku. "Nice shot… both of them. It appears that even with your lost memory; you've still retained your fighting genius._He's developing the Saiyan attitude… it shouldn't be much longer until he becomes one of us…_

Suddenly, Raditz felt his mind twitch, almost as if to warn him of something. _…So why do I feel so guilty? Is it because this isn't what Kakarot would want? No… Saiyans aren't supposed to have these internal conflicts. Probably just didn't get a good night's sleep on the way here._

* * *

Alas, all good things must come to an end. For the destructive quartet, their violent reveries had come to an end; there were no Arlians or Zoonians left to kill. Now, all that was left to do was sail on back to meet their reckoning once again.

Frieza's audience chamber was abnormally Spartan when compared to the tyrant's flamboyant taste. There were no furniture, desks and only bare concrete was used to finish the walls and floor. It looked more like a prison or dungeon moreso than an audience chamber. Strangely—where almost every other room in Frieza's private quarters was lavishly decorated to his satisfaction—he used this room in particular to get daily reports from the army and meet foreign dignitaries. It was also here where the two brothers kneeled in front of their master, ready to address their lord on what had transpired on their respective missions. While also finished with their menial task, Vegeta and Nappa still were fairly distanced from Frieza's base. Raditz considered them lucky.

Beforehand Frieza would demand their report, the despot decided to banter with them a bit—test his wit, per se. "Ah so the prodigal son returns, along with his delightful brother no less," welcomed the terrifying Arcosian. "Honestly, I'm surprised you made it this far. How did things go foryou two on Arlia?"

"Well, my lord—" Raditz started, and was promptly silenced by a virulent laugh courtesy of Zarbon.

Soon afterward, Zarbon maliciously grinned as he attempted to provoke the Saiyans before him."I'm sure things must've gone splendidly, sire! After all, if Raditz somehow survived, then you know that the planet was full of weaklings!" You could've set a plaster mold of the sneer on Zarbon's face.

"Now now, Zarbon, don't be rude. Leave the disparaging comments for recess," accosted Frieza, insulting Raditz's pride more so than Zarbon's ego.

"Yeah, let Raditz finish up his report before he starts begging for a banana!" Dodoria taunted, sneering at the pitiful Saiyan as well.

Veins began to pop on Raditz's head. He was dangerously close to mouthing off at the two sycophants, which would've obviously ended with himself getting crushed underneath one of their boots. Prudently deciding his course of action, the long-haired warrior decided to keep his mouth shut. He could hardly wait for the moment when he and his fellow Saiyans would have Frieza under _their _boots for a change.

Unfortunately, just because the lanky Saiyan had quieted down, it didn't mean Frieza's lackeys would. "Aw look, we made the monkey mad. What a shame." Zarbon was about to die from laughter. Taunting a member of the once great Saiyan race was always a lot of fun, especially since the Saiyan Prince tried desperately to hang onto the past.

Goku hadn't changed. He couldn't handle the amount of vitriol and contempt they were throwing at his brother. It was clear that they needed to be reproached. "Shut up already!" Goku yelled, making everyone hush and turn to him hungrily, like a school of piranhas on the hunt. "Would it kill you to show him some respect? He went out of his way to do what _you_ asked for, and _this _is what he gets in exchange. Why don't the fat-head and the pretty boy get off of their lazy butts and do something for a change?" Throughout his rant, Goku did not sense how Zarbon, Dodoria and Frieza were practically simmering with rage.

"Oh, you've done it now…" Raditz murmured faintly. His brother had basically done the equivalent of walking into a dark alley with no weapons.

"Raditz: you will brief Zarbon at a later date. Be off," snapped Frieza, waving off the lanky Saiyan. "Don't worry, Goku and I are going to have a little _chat,"_ Frieza snarled angrily, his eloquent façade starting to break down.

Raditz averted his gaze towards his brother. For the first time, the brothers shared a nervous glance as they watched Frieza's sadistic attitude become suddenly warm and playful.

The Arcosian leapt out of his hoverchair, frowning as he leisurely approached Goku, his feigned affection towards the Saiyan rearing its head once again; in fact, if it wasn't for the menacing insanity that dotted the pupils of his eyes, Goku would've been unable to tell difference between docile Frieza and enraged Frieza. "I don't tolerate backtalk, Goku. I understand that it's only your first day here…." A sadistic smile lit up the Arcosian's face. "But that just means you need to be initiated. I do remember Raditz saying that you're a tad on the weaker side, what was it again? Five-hundred and ten? Allow me to assist you into getting that number up!"

Almost as if Frieza and his lackeys had choreographed this scene in advance, Zarbon quickly phased behind Raditz and knocked him out with a brutal headkick to the foramen magnum. The lanky saiyan was out cold so quickly, he hadn't even had the chance to even turn around and face his brother.

Meanwhile Dodoria—or the other henchman, if you prefer—speared his spiky cranium into Goku's stomach, which miraculously, hadn't perforated any major organ in the Saiyan's gut. Swiftly, the ugly pink demon yanked his head out of the saiyan's stomach and buried an outstretched palm strike into the same part of Goku's abdomen, rocketing him into the metal wall of Frieza's audience chamber.

Continuing his onslaught, Dodoria leapt back from the wreckage and fired a small beam at Goku's stomach, cauterizing the wound, and triggering a series of spasmodic shrieks from our hero. "Barbaric Saiyans… they never do learn, do they?"

"That's it!" Zarbon snapped his fingers and pointed at Goku's slumped form accusingly. "I thought I recognized him! Lord Frieza, that's the son of Bardock—a near spitting image of him!"

Frieza's eyes widened incredulously, before coming to a swift realization that Zarbon was spot on in his analysis of Goku's praternity. "Ah yes, Bardock… the one who defied me until the very end."

The tyrant chuckled, placing his index finger forward. "Well, you know what they say: the sins of the father shall be bestowed upon the son…."

* * *

The wasteland where Gohan and Piccolo had begun to train in was very much a reflection of Piccolo's personality. It was large, eerily quiet, strangely wide open, and completely inert. Walking through these quiescent surroundings was the four-and-a-half year old son of Goku, looking tirelessly for his mentor.

Why was a fearsome demon king like himself wasting his time with a whiny brat? In a word, his unexploited potential—a great power that was only unleashed due to necessity or all-consuming rage. Piccolo kept going on and on about his anger, but the cheery young lad could never consciously remember how he did it. Quite frankly, the Namekian also knew the boy didn't believe a word of it. Who would? He knew that he hadn't- the first voice he'd ever heard since the green-skinned organism had hatched from his egg was that his father had given him the ultimate power.

This had been the understatement of Age 756, to say the very least. Piccolo's power was unable to combat Goku and prevail; much less Raditz with his superior power level of 1200 at the time. If only there were a way to gain more power...

Truthfully, there _was _a way for Piccolo to become stronger than both of the brothers combined. But he'd rather suffer with a lower power level than to be joined together with the Guardian of Earth.

However, unlike Piccolo, Gohan was quite willing to become more powerful by training. It was clear that his father had taught him basic martial arts; nothing more, due to Chi-Chi's ambitions of the young hybrid being a scholar when he grew up. Unfortunately, an eagerness to learn did not mean the hybrid was a quick learner. Just how would he be able to convey to the boy what his emotional power meant, or what could be done if that power could be harnessed at will? Hopefully, it would be used with him rather than against him.

In the meantime, the green warrior had deduced that the only way for the boy to realize the potential he had was for the Namekian to train him; not throwing any punches, as promised. Soon enough, Piccolo learned that the task he set out to do was a bit harder than he originally thought it would be.

Luckily, the two were able to put up with one another to some degree. At least the boy didn't challenge his mentor's decisions anymore, lest he lose his head to Piccolo's rather infamous temper.

Currently, Piccolo was supposed to be at the riverbed that ran through the spacious wasteland they trained in. He was supposed to meet him there and continue on with their training, but something more devious and abstractly educational crossed his mind. Gohan was going to learn one of battle's great lessons today.

At the river bed, Goku's son was confused by Piccolo's tardiness. Even he knew that Piccolo was absurdly punctual. "Mr. Piccolo, where are you? I thought that you said that I should meet you by the river bed!" Gohan called out, hoping to get some kind of response. Being a little boy, his attention was quickly diverted by his mirror-like reflection in the water of the creek. Suddenly, choosing that precise moment, Piccolo phased in behind the distracted boy and kicked him in the back, fed-exing the boy into the water.

"Mister Piccolo!" Gohan yelled, trying to signal his mentor, ere he was carried off in the stream. "Help me! The water is too fast to swim in!"

The Namekian groaned internally at the helplessness of his charge. The kid was so…dependent on him. Slowly, oh, so very slowly, he glided over to Gohan. "Swim, you weakling! Not even your pathetic father would've allowed himself to drown in a gentle river! Swim to the edge! Would you want your mother seeing you like this; shaking her head because her boy couldn't bring his poor daddy home?"

Expectedly, Gohan began to shake in rage; his previous terror about drowning forgotten. A rush of power started to crawl through his being, surging through his veins. The river's normal ripple effect was starting to enlarge.

Piccolo was beaming with pride at his young pupil, goading him on. "Good! Now harness that power, Gohan! Make it your own!"

"HHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the boy yelled, the ripples in the water becoming small waves that ripped through the river.

With a conscious roar, the hybrid parted the waters viciously as a fiery blue veil enveloped his entire frame. Euphorically he started to prod his body, wondering if what he was feeling was really true. When he realized it was, he couldn't help but stare up at his green-skinned teacher in adoration.

"Mister Piccolo, I did it!" he yelped happily, hoping for some kind of praise from the man he tried his best to please.

Piccolo couldn't really describe what he was feeling; it wasn't akin to anything he had felt before. What was it? Pride…exultation…happiness, perhaps? He didn't understand, therefore he smothered it. More work had to be done, regardless. Without warning, the former demon fired a beam of energy at Gohan, forcing the hybrid to break out of his stance and fall back into the waters.

"Do it again," shouted Piccolo, raising his arms in defense. "I'm not going to be there for you every five seconds when you need to recharge your anger, Gohan!"

In an ironic twist of fate, it would be Piccolo's anger that would be challenged now. "_Piccolo, can you hear me?" _A voice asked within his own head. Once he realized who, Piccolo could do nothing but curl his lip in disgust at Kami's intrusion.

"_Why are you wasting my time, old man?" _Piccolo questioned through their telekinetic bond that they shared. The somewhat evil Namekian hated to call it a bond—that would imply that he acknowledged Kami as an esteemed relation, which he clearly wasn't.

"_I just wanted to inform you that I have been keeping quite a close eye on you and your pupil lately." _Kami answered, his tone suggesting something that Piccolo knew he wouldn't like.

"_So you've been spying on me? Just what exactly are you trying to inform me about? Your preferred type of execution when I kill you for loitering in my mind? I can think of quite a few right now!" retorted Piccolo, his countenance souring by the minute._

"_Very well. Piccolo, I wanted to remind you to always be on your guard. We never know what is going to happen, the future is always in motion." _Rather obviously, Kami's warning was met with deaf ears.

"_Whatever, old man. Just don't contact me again if all you want to do is idly banter," _Piccolo responded, very close to snarling. "_I have work to do, and I'd certainly appreciate if you'd leave; save me the trouble of skinning you alive."_

"_I'm not here to banter, Piccolo. Actually, there is one thing I need to address with you. The boy, he has a tail just like his father. If you remember, the Saiyan who attacked the planet used a technique that looked vaguely familiar to the full moon. Well, whenever Goku stared at the full moon he'd also turn into a wild ape; provided he had his tail. Gohan has a tail and there's a full moon tonight. If I can make a recommendation, I would remove Gohan's tail when you get a chance," _Kami informed Piccolo, who nodded in understanding.

"_Thanks for the tip, old man. By the way, don't enter my mind again," _Piccolo growled through the bond. He could see the old Namekian smirking as their link fell.

* * *

A bright, pink Death Beam ripe with penetrative powers shot forth of Frieza's finger, shooting through Goku's spandex-covered kneecap and melding two bones together that had no business being unified. Unfortunately for the Earth-raised Saiyan, the tyrant was by no means satisfied with the current level of pain Goku was suffering through. Oh no, more would be required. Continuing his barbaric torture session, the lizard shifted his index finger upwards as he fired another beam at the helpless Saiyan, literally incinerating a chunk of Goku's upper thigh as his howls echoed throughout the ship.

"Come on, Goku! Scream!" baited the snakelike voice of Frieza, his sanity having checked out of the office a few moments before. "It's time you monkeys learned your place—you are ants compared to the big dinosaur that rules this land!"

* * *

_Next chapter will have a bit of a timeskip, three months into the future. For those of you concerned with Goku's character development, rest assured it's covered in the _Death of Son Goku _special. _

_Goku: 510  
Yetti: 2,300._  
_Tien(workout from running on Snake Way): 394  
Vegeta: 18,200_  
_Nappa: 4,300._


	4. Chapter IV: Raisins

_Three months had came and went since Goku had been spirited away from Earth courtesy of his wayward older brother. Three months of grief, longing and intense training had gone by, and in the opinions of every Z-Fighter, they were months well spent._

_With Master Roshi's consent, Krillin remained in Goku's house tending to Chi-Chi. On most days, he occupied himself with her former cleaning and cooking duties, while trying his best to comfort the grieving pseudo-widow._

_Chi-Chi—in the meantime—was coming to terms with the loss of her husband and son. Although she still longed for their embrace, she had learned to accept the grim fact that they may not be coming back. However, none of these realizations would've been possible if it weren't for Krillin. The bald monk had shown nothing but compassion to her, and she had slowly begun to consider Krillin as her best friend._

_Krillin happily reciprocated the respect and affection Goku's wife showered him in. Truth be told, he was just happy that Chi-Chi was beginning to recover from the shock of losing Goku and Gohan in the same day. Of course, this higher level of regard didn't save him for having to check in on Gohan, whom was being closely guarded by Piccolo. Safe to say, there intermittent meetings never were pretty things to watch._

_Yamcha had been living a dual life defined by time of day. By day, the scar faced bandit trained tirelessly in the pursuit of nothing, and by night he was a famous baseball player who attracted many fangirls to the distaste of his on and off girlfriend._

_Piccolo and Gohan continued to train incessantly, albeit they had recently located to another wasteland that wasn't that far away from Mount Paozu. Gohan had made considerable progress since his first day of training, and the longhaired demi-Saiyan was starting to hold his own against his mentor in a fight. The days of crying for his father were long gone, but Gohan still prayed every night that his father was okay out there. With the substantial growth in Gohan's power, Piccolo knew that their chances of surviving another attack was greatly increasing._

_Unfortunately, the dawn of every day brought Piccolo closer to the date of Tien's return. While he was confident in the fact that Gohan's mother had consented to allowing him to train her son, Tien probably wouldn't be as willing. Tien was a very tricky fighter to go against, and he was every bit as smart as the former demon king. The Namekian knew that Tien would try to take back Gohan in a fight; a fight he'd have the power to possibly win._

_Back in space, the group of misfit Saiyans continued to serve under Frieza. Kakarot, or Goku as his comrades continued to call him, was slowly becoming more renowned amongst the soldiers and officers in Frieza's army. Ever since Frieza had brutally tortured him, Goku had learned to keep his mouth shut unless he was spoken to. However, this unspoken rule only applied when the Earth-raised Saiyan was talking to his superiors; his comrades were fair game as far as he was concerned._

_Prince Vegeta had been increasingly obsessed with his goal of becoming the Legendary Super Saiyan; so much so that he welcomed all of Frieza ridiculous tasks. The Saiyan prince knew that every victory brought him closer to his dream. He needed to ascend to the legendary status of his race in order to crush Frieza and regain control of_his _destiny._

_And on Snake Way, Tien Shinhan was close to being done with the long and perilous journey he had undergone. In the three months that had passed, the bald fighter had put an amazing amount of strain on his body, but words couldn't describe how strong the trek had made him. He felt like he could take on Goku three times over, though Tien knew that this was only the beginning. According to what Piccolo had told Kami, Raditz had a power level of 1,200 at the time of his battles on Earth. Tien hoped that with King Kai's training, he could transcend Raditz three times over._

_Finally, Lord Frieza had heard of seven intriguing spheres that could be found on a planet called Namek; the collector of those spheres entitled to a wish. Interested by the prospect of his ultimate dream being realized, Frieza sent his top astrologist to inquire about their presence._

* * *

"W-Where are you?" her voice managed to mumble out. She recognized the voice, yet it seemed to be losing its familiarity as the seconds slowly ticked by.

A man—whose eyes glinted with subconscious feelings of hatred, spite and small tinges of insanity—suddenly appeared before her eyes. He appeared so quickly that girl wondered if the man had super-speed. If it wasn't for what her eyes—or brain, for that manner—was telling her, she would've been tempted to doubt what she had just seen.

"Do you know who I am, young girl?" asked the gruff voice of the mad figure, taking on the deathly seriousness of the death's harbinger.

"You're… G-…"

Suddenly, she found herself pausing like a clueless klutz. What was going on? She clearly knew the name of this man, yet her memories seemed to have been catatonically frozen the minute she locked gazes with him. If he inquired about the color of her hair, she wouldn't have been able to tell him without actually having to check it herself. It was almost like this man was depriving her of her soul, ripping it to shreds as he cackled maliciously.

"What is your name, young girl?" he rasped, his foreboding overtone slowly becoming more prominent in his manner of speech.

Like last time, the girl found herself unable to answer the doctor's inquiries; her memories seemingly clogged by some enigmatic force. It wasn't long afterwards when she realized she couldn't decipher the identity, not even her former partner that was sleeping right next to her.

"Allow me to fill in the blanks, young girl." To her, his words were oracles of prophetic truth. Any drivel that he uttered would hold a level of truth that not even the mighty kais themselves would've been able to break. "You are Android Eighteen; the eighteenth evolution of my life's work and ambition. You were created for only one purpose: the complete annihilation of Son Goku for the crimes he performed on my Red Ribbon Army."

"No…" she mumbled, trying to reject this omnipotent force with all her might; yet the force was unrelenting. It seeped its way through her skull and began to put her in a trance that she could not come back from.

"You may be wondering why I've chosen such meaningless lowlifes like you and your brother to be part of my elite android army," the man grinned loquaciously; ready to implement the final message into the poor girl's memory. "You two appear to be strong; you've taken out quite a few of those pesky biker gangs that permeated the underbelly of North City. Unfortunately, this façade of power was all you actually had—Goku could swat you away with a flick of his finger if he so willed. It was me who saw the potential and good you two could do for me. And with the power of science at my beck and call, you two will be the most powerful beings to ever grace this filth of a planet!"

The man's smirk grew even wider, unable to stop itself from continuing his meaningless victory speech. Phase One of his plan was nearly complete. "But of course, there are stronger beings than you who would've been even better cyborgs. I've chosen you for the one thing that will help to deal Goku like no other—your beauty."

The man turned his back, walking towards a toolbox that contained all of the horrific tools necessary to implement Phase Two of his plan. "Goku, you see, has lost his memory; taken into space by his elder brother. In Saiyans, the desire to mate is far greater than that of humans—another reason why I chose you. If worst comes to worst, you shall distract him—allowing for a quick kill. The beauty in this plan is simply _perfection_ through and through, my darling."

He quickly selected an item from his toolbox with quick precision, pivoting around to come eye-to-eye with the barely conscious girl.

"Now… Phase Two begins…"

* * *

Goku walked around the large complex with a fierce expression, striking fear into the hearts of every lower-class soldier that he came upon. After being mercilessly beaten, the fallen hero had gained quite the power increase—his battle power had jumped to a mighty forty-five hundred. In the past three months, Goku had developed a bit of a stern no-nonsense attitude—which he had developed for the sole sake of getting respect. There were a select few of Frieza's henchmen whom Goku liked—the doctor Malaka being the most prominent.

"What are you doing? Don't you have some work to do?"

Goku stopped in his tracks, turning his head around to face the idiot that dared give him an order. Upon discovering the identity of the figure, all the Saiyan could do was scowled at his superior. "What do you want, Zarbon?"

The right-handed man of Frieza laughed as he laid his rotten hand on the Saiyan's shoulder. "Calm down there, monkey. Lord Frieza assigned us a mission to the Planet Yardrat—we leave within the hour. Do remind your ape of a brother to not be late."

"Why don't you-"

"Save it, monkey. We can't afford you getting so worked up on something as simple as a mere quarrel," replied Zarbon, smirking at the helpless warrior.

Goku balled his left hand into a fist, rolling his knuckles around in a poor attempt to restrain himself from attacking the cyan-skinned being. The aforementioned alien noticed this, and responded with a taunting sneer.

It took everything Goku had to not scream obscenities across the hall. Out of all the aliens that Goku had the displeasure to work with, Zarbon was by far the most annoying. Dodoria was nothing more than a simple pink oaf; Goku wasn't threatened at all by his chubby alien. He knew that if he and Vegeta combined his power, Dodoria would be finished.

Unfortunately, such actions would be very unwise for the two saiyans. There was no way to dispatch Dodoria without Frieza's knowledge, and they'd be the only culprits if such an action did occur. Goku knew that the moments right before the rebellion were the most important; they couldn't risk pissing off Frieza when they were so close to surpassing him.

However, that wasn't the only reason why Goku was hesitant about rebelling. Deep down, he wasn't sure he could he go through with killing anybody? He wasn't evil—he told himself that constantly. He only killed so that he could live on, right?

The rebellion scared Goku because he wasn't ready to have blood soil his hands. In his mind, having blood on his hands would make him a murderer. To him, a murderer was a person who killed for fun; not out of self-preservation. But was he a murderer? If he had the opportunity to kill Zarbon, he would do so in a heartbeat—his bloodlust demanded it. In the end, he didn't know if he could tame the beast within.

* * *

Tien's perpetual descent down Snake Way continued with earnest. By the third month of monotonous running, the triclops was wondering if he was going mad. Nothing seemed to be happening on that accursed road.

"You've got to be kidding me…I've been traveling this road for three months, and I'm still not there! When will this ever end?"

Ironically, once Tien had uttered those words the Kais decided to play a prank on him. Suddenly, Tien found himself being pushed him off the ground and into the air; his vision extending far beyond the tail end of Snake Way.

Suddenly, the realization dawned on him. He had completed Snake Way! "Is that a…" Tien murmured faintly, wondering if what he had seen was just a dream. "Is…that…a tail?"

Upon sighting the visage of King Kai's small green planet, he couldn't deny his accomplishment any longer. Tien was now a two-of-a-kind.

"I've done it!" shouted Tien, feeling euphoric as he dashed across the homestretch, flying straight towards King Kai's small planet. "I've finally made it to King Ka-WHOOAAA!"

Tien's exulted mood was cut short prematurely by the gravity around him intensifying rapidly, forcing the three-eyed fighter straight into the ground with a painful thud.

"Dang," the bald fighter muttered, rubbing his shoulder as he tried to stand up. "That really... ah," moaned the triclops, banging his head back into the ground after trying to pick himself up. The shirtless fighter seemed to be pinned down by some invisible force.

"Ooh oh ah ah!" came a chant from close behind Tien.

_Dang! Is that someone?!_ thought the now fearful human. Tien's senses had been heightened immensely by his training to become an assassin; the triclops would be forever grateful for this. It was because of this that the primate next to him missed his leap onto the triclops, having prematurely rolled out of the way.

"Don't mind Bubbles; he's friendly."

Tien looked up with a wide-eyed expression as he took in the figure behind him. Dressed in a black cloak with a prestigious symbol; the man certainly appeared to be the man Tien had been searching for a quarter of an Earth year. "Are you…really who I think you are? Snake Way's been awfully devious-"

"Well, my name is Bubbles. That monkey over there is King Kai."

The triclops made an effort to stand up fully, though the best Tien could muster was a hunched over position. "You just called the monkey Bubbles, though."

"Oh?" asked the fish-faced blue organism, slightly flustered from not catching his mistake. "While my name is not Bubbles, as you astutely picked up on, my name does rhyme with lie! I'm King Kai!" The Northern Kai burst into laughter, his left arm clutching his side as he howled at a horribly bad pun.

Tien sweat-dropped as he watched the man who was supposedly able to give him training to save his planet. "Okay… well, I request something of you, King Kai. You see, the people of Earth used to have an amazingly powerful protector that went by the moniker of Son Goku. He was abducted into space by his evil brother whom wiped his memory with a blow to the skull. Since his secondary mission on Earth was to destroy all of its life forms and clean the planet for trade, it's probable that he'll return to Earth eventually. In order to prepare accordingly for the threat, Kami and King Yemma sent me here so that I can make a difference in the battle."

"Well, it appears you're certainly gifted, making it all the way out here from Snake Way," spoke King Kai. "However, you do realize that you're only the second person to have ever completed the serpent roads of Snake Way? I have to ensure that you're qualified enough to even come close to your full potential. To do this, you must complete three tests for me."

"Sure, King Kai. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my homeworld. Like Goku would've done before me, I have to rise up and defeat his brother!"

"That's the spirit!" declared King Kai. "Unfortunately, determination and willpower alone are not deciding factors in a fight."

"Then what do you need me to do to prove I can handle your training?" asked a determined Tien. _This is it… three months of Snake Way… no Chiaotzu... this is where it truly all boils down to._

"You have to tell me a good joke!"

The loud thump that occurred shortly afterwards was a combination of Tien's shock and inability to stand on the planet's intense gravity.

* * *

A gentle breeze swept through Mount Paozu on the midst of a warm spring afternoon. In the past, Chi-Chi cherished days like this where she could just spend time with Goku and Gohan, watching as the two loves of her life enjoyed the weather. However, now, today, signaled a new change for her: she would no longer let it get her down. She knew that while Goku was quite naïve, he wouldn't want her to go on like this if he could truly grasp what was going on.

Losing her husband to her brother-in-law as well as young Gohan to Piccolo took a heavy toll on her, but without Krillin, she would probably be dead by now. While prideful and intimidating, Chi-Chi wouldn't hesitate to admit that he was truly her rock in the past three months. The way that he bent over backwards just to ensure that everything was perfect was both thoughtful and touching to her heart. In fact, just the weekend before, Krillin had been flirted with by a young woman nearly akin to Bulma… just…not with the same brainpower. He'd actually politely refused to take the woman shopping just to ensure that Chi-Chi had everything she needed for the week. What bothered her was that he did this for everybody who needed help— she was sure he'd wait on a _machine _hand and foot if it needed assistance. The part that nagged itself into her mind was that nobody reciprocated for him. She was certain that dying to a demon five years ago would require therapy of some sort. But Krillin, being the happy-go-lucky guy he was, completely shook it off… to the public eye, anyway. Those who weren't too dense could've seen the fear that Krillin possessed when he'd been matched up against Piccolo five years ago at the World Martial Arts Tournament.

Her thoughts were swept away by the wind as she heard a large splash that indicated Krillin's emergence from the water.

"Here, Chi-Chi! I got us some fish! Wanna head home?"

It was strange to hear Krillin call Mt. Paozu his home, but Chi-Chi decided she liked the sound of that by letting a smile overtake her features. "Let's go home."

* * *

Three hours had passed, and Tien found himself growing rather angry and impatient. "King Kai, what does it matter if I tell you a joke or not?"

"What does it matter if you receive my training or not?" retorted King Kai with a frown. "I am your trainer, and you'll do what I ask. Now tell me a joke."

Tien just…snapped. The mental strain that had been imposed on him and that had taxed his brain more than any time he could ever recall in his life simply burst out like a dam. If acting like a fool made him stronger, then so be it.

"What happens when a clock gets hungry?" asked Tien.

King Kai frowned. "Hm? What happens; do tell."

"They go back _for seconds_!"

"BWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHA!" King Kai burst into yet another fit of laughter, causing Tien to roll his eyes as he regressed back into his stoic, calm self.

"Well? What's the training, King Kai?"

Wiping away a tear underneath his sunglasses, King Kai calmed himself before speaking in a basic tone. "You've passed section one of my test! You see Tien, the key to winning a battle is patience. You may have waited three additional hours to tell me a joke, but you ended up doing so, winning the fight. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Tien suddenly felt a wave of respect flood over him as he looked at King Kai's face. Gone was the foolish, playful individual; in his place was a serious and harsh teacher. "Thank you, King Kai. I understand now—it doesn't matter if my power is the weakest in the world—it only matters that I persevere long enough to secure victory."

"Indeed, Tien! Very insightful! And that's why I think you'll enjoy this next test, since you enjoyed this one so much. Bubbles!"

"Ooh ooh?" questioned the monkey as he hopped from one foot to the another.

"I want you to run away from this guy over here and don't let him catch you for as long as you can."

"You want me… to catch a monkey?" questioned Tien. "You can't be serious."

"Hey, look at the last test," replied King Kai. "You tell me if you'll benefit from this or not."

Tien leapt forwards in an attempt to grab Bubbles, but even if the monkey hadn't dove out of the way, the three-eyed man wouldn't have caught him merely because his body fell to the ground once more.

"Darn…" said Tien, standing in a crouched position slowly. "He's not fast… but this stinking gravity is hindering my ability to move!"

That's when it hit him.

* * *

The light of dawn swept over the rolling plains of the wasteland that Gohan and Piccolo inhabited. Their grueling training regimen had picked up in recent memory, to Piccolo's morbid amusement and Gohan's chagrin.

Piccolo was sitting atop a very large precipice, appearing to be meditating in the lotus position. His eyes were very much squinted shut and beads of sweat were pouring down his forehead. In an instant, the cliffs and rock formations around him became encircled by a cyclone of his energy, pulsing and rippling like displaced water.

"Ha!" roared the former demon king, his eyes even more pressed shut than before. The intensity of the tornado increased along with its size and scope, almost masking the green fighter amongst the rocky debris and buffering winds.

Light began to emit from the very ground beneath the namekian; dozens of square miles of rocky land started to rise out of the Earth in one massive chunk by the sheer force of Piccolo's will alone. Slowly and arduously, the stalwart warrior used his telekinetic powers to rotate the humongous lump of dirt and stone in his control on some kind of invisible axis.

Once the hodgepodge of rocky land did one complete three-hundred and sixty degree rotation, Piccolo eased the displaced land back into its former place, letting go of his mental hold of the land in the process. Upon relinquishing his telekinetic grip on the uprooted land, the winds started to die down and the landscape returned to normal.

Piccolo's eyes snapped open, and he started to breathe rapidly and laboriously like he was seriously winded, which he was. What could he say? Maintaining a telekinetic link between himself and at least one-hundred tons of rubble was not an easy task.

The former demon king regained control of himself rather quickly, swiftly returning to what he did best: standing guard. The stoic onlooker gazed across the open plains of their training ground looking for his charge. Soon enough, the brat's cheery visage came into view.

Gohan was clear on the other side of the training ground, chasing after some kind of dinosaur with a partially severed tail. Judging by the trail of drool racing down his chubby cheeks coupled with the look of abject terror on the dinosaur's face, Piccolo could deduce that these two souls had met more than once before.

Deftly jumping off the pillar he had been perched on, the stoic Namekain drifted silently towards his pupil so as not arouse suspicion. Once he was within striking distance of his charge, he decided to wait patiently for the opportune moment to teach his student a lesson.

Gohan was much too interested with his thoughts about the succulent taste of tail steak to bother looking at his surroundings; a fatal flaw if he had been in a real life-or-death struggle. Soon enough, that opportune moment came. The child had closed the distance between himself and the dinosaur, lifting his sword high in the air preparing to slash down hard on the reptile's tail. Unbeknownst to the brat though, he left his middle open and Piccolo intended to expose this weakness immediately.

Pouncing out of the blue, Piccolo phased right in front of Gohan's left flank and kicked him square in the ribs, allowing the dinosaur to live to die another day. The boy was launched back several hundred feet into a stone monolith, which remarkably didn't fracture enough upon impact to crumble into thousands of pieces.

After a momentary lapse of time, Gohan climbed out of the rubble Piccolo buried him under, looking no worse for wear. The boy was clearly cross and his stomach was grumbling in displeasure, most of his anger stemming from losing his meal when his mentor had jumped him.

"What was that for, Mister Piccolo!" exclaimed the boy, verbalizing his feeling of frustration from having lost his breakfast.

`The boy's still too soft,' mused Piccolo grimly, betraying none of his thoughts in his body language.

An awkward period of silence settled around the two warriors, neither the mentor nor the student were willing to mince a war of words over the issue. A brisk wind swept through the wasteland, fluttering Piccolo's long white cape in the direction of the gust.

More time passed, and Gohan's concentration started to slip. The little boy just didn't have the age or experience necessary to outwait his opponent. Of course, this brief lapse in focus gave Piccolo the chance to end their stalemate.

"Dodge," Piccolo barked, disappearing in an instant.

"Wha—" replied Gohan, before his Namekian mentor socked the child in the face, sending him skidding into the ground. The boy slowly picked himself up, wiping off a trickle of blood on his upper lip.

"You need to concentrate, Gohan. Real enemies will make you regret not focusing in battle!" gruffly answered his Piccolo, his stern nature coming through.

Piccolo phased out of the scene again, noticing Gohan lose his focus for the third time. However, just as he was about to reappear and slam his foot into the boy's back, his charge ducked underneath the strike and grabbed his mentor's entrenched foot by his ankle. Using his recently enhanced strength, Gohan hoisted Piccolo's ankle into the air and threw his much larger opponent over his shoulder and into the ground.

The Namekian picked himself up in a prompt manner, staring straight into the eyes of his pupil. Secretly, the former demon king was very impressed by the kid's tenacity and deception. He was growing a little more ruthless, bit by bit. `_The kid's starting to learn what it takes to live in this world.'_

"Nice shot, kid," admitted the green warrior out loud; a sliver of pride was visible in his eyes, shocking Gohan and bringing about Piccolo's indignation.

"Wow, really Mister Piccolo? Thank you!" the boy exclaimed, feeling a surge of pride run through his being. He couldn't believe that he had impressed his mentor in battle, but it had just happened. There was no mistaking the gruff

"Dodge, brat," smirked the Namekian, knowing the kid would only hear his warning once it was too late.

As predicted, that was exactly what happened. "Wha— " said Gohan, before their sparing continued anew.

* * *

Two barely audible space vessels rushed through the vast chasm of space. The two dangerous warriors inside each pod were on an important mission for their lord. Planet Delos had been put under siege by a powerful force and the Ginyu Force were not around to put down the disorder themselves. Alas, the tyrant had no choice but send his favorite prince along with his brute of a bodyguard to suppress the insurgents on their own.

Vegeta eagerly accepted the assignment. Compared to his normally trashy assignments—which were often blatant attempts to stunt his growth—this was a pleasant surprise. In fact, Nappa could barely keep up with his prince as he ran towards his pod, more invigorated than he had ever been.

Both anxious Saiyans jumped into their pods and plugged in the coordinates for Planet Delos before blasting off. However, their eagerness quickly dissolved into one massive neurotic conniption fit when they started feeling bored and claustrophobic within the cramped walls of their ship. Of course, Nappa—being the pest he was—kept sending computerized messages to Vegeta through the pod's miniature computer that usually consisted of four words: 'Are we there yet?' The response was either: 'Shut up, Nappa,' or 'God damn it, Nappa.'

Fortunately for each of their sanities, the flight to Planet Delos was a rather quick one. Right as they were, both Vegeta and Nappa were ready to tear through the walls of their pods, each of their pods landed on Planet Delos and opening on their own.

Nappa and Vegeta slowly crawled out of their respective pods, looking almost bored when they saw the barren wasteland of a planet they were sent too. It didn't look like any planet a rebel stronghold would be on.

"What gives, Vegeta? Was this some kind of sick joke that Frieza pulled on us again? This planet looks deserted, nobody could live in this," Nappa exclaimed, more than a little disappointed in the pitiable state of the planet he had been dropped in.

"Don't be too quick to judge, Nappa. Something catastrophic must've happened here for this place to be wasteland," responded Vegeta, looking around at his surroundings studiously. "Did you read the dossier on Delos?"

"No," laughed Nappa, taking Vegeta's comment as a joke. Since when did he do any reading on the planets he destroyed? If anything, that was what they assigned the grunt—Raditz—to do.

"As expected," comment Vegeta, pressing the power level scanner on his scouter while finishing his comment. "Delos less than a week ago was a forest planet teeming with life. Look at it now, Nappa; isn't it suspicious how things could change so quickly?"

"I suppose," assented Nappa, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. "Hey Vegeta, what is the reading on their fighters?"

At that very instant, Vegeta saw the reading and his mouth practically dropped. "There's at least two that are above six thousand, another two at eight thousand, one more at ten thousand and their leader is at thirty-thousand!"

"What!" yelled Nappa, just as stunned as the slack-jawed Vegeta. "How are we going to fight beings like that?"

"I don't know," affirmed Vegeta, glaring at his partner for forcing him into showing weakness. "We just need to think of something and fast! Now shut up!"

Suddenly two ki blasts detonated at the feet of both saiyans, enveloping the both of them in a smokescreen. While the two stunned saiyans thrashed around in the smoke, two purple dwarfs converged on Nappa and jumped him from within the smoke.

Nappa instinctually started to block and dodge the duo's flurry of attacks, before intercepting one of their's punches with a punch of his own. Finally finding some breathing room, Nappa yelled out to his partner. "Vegeta! Get out of here; I'll deal with these clowns myself!"

"As you wish! Just don't get yourself killed!" shouted Vegeta, yelling over the din of Nappa's battle before blasting out of the scene, dispersing the smoke.

Free of distractions, Nappa took a quick glance at the duo with a scowl as he simultaneously watched Vegeta's purple aura zip out of sight before turning back to face the duo. "Just who are you supposed to be?"

"If you must know," spoke the first one with a devious smirk planted firmly on his face. "We are Raisin and Lakesei, two of Turles' Crusher Corps!"

"T-Turles?" Nappa's eyes widened. "Wasn't that the lower class who dropped out of the Saiyan army because he was so weak?"

Raisin scowled at the insult to his master, but he let it go. After all, it was highly improbable that the bulky Saiyan in front of him would be breathing in three minutes from now. "He survived the explosion of Vegeta, and went around the Galaxy recruiting only the finest organisms to his squadron."

"That doesn't explain why this planet is devoid of life!" exclaimed Nappa. "There's no way you two could be so deadly accurate as to not harm the land in any way—there's got to be some damage somewhere!"

"You didn't let Raisin finish," snapped back Lakesei. "You see; that is part two. Turles discovered a special seed—when planted, it literally drains the planet of all its life energy and transfers it into special fruit. When consumed, the fruit gives the consumer an amazing power boost. This planet was full of nature—we thought it would be perfect for gathering our fruit. We didn't expect Frieza to step in, however. No matter; Turles will simply deal with him earlier."

Nappa snarled as a bright yellow aura began to illuminate his bulky frame. "You fools… the only ones to kill Frieza are true Saiyan warriors!"

A blow rushed straight past Raisin's defenses and sent him flying into a slope; the structure trembling as its fallen debris rained down on the purple imp.

Lakesei, on the other hand, avoided the blow sent for him and thrust his feet firmly into Nappa's ribcage—sending the former Saiyan General downwards as he tried to regain his lost breath.

Raisin snuck back into the battle and flung his forearm on Nappa's foramen magnum, causing the bald warrior's head to perch forward. His brother rushed forward and elevated his knee to shoot Nappa's chin back up.

As the duo's miniscule hands delivered rapid and painful blows on Nappa's weakened body, the Saiyan began to gather strength at his core, charging it silently.

The duo mistook Nappa's charging of energy for a sign of extreme pain, causing them to back off.

"Think that he's had enough?" questioned Raisin.

"Not until he's dead," retorted Lakesei. "Let's end this—now!"

"I AGREE!" shouted Nappa, letting his power surge with a magnificent roar, shaking the foundations of the planet. "I'm not pulling any punches this time around!"

* * *

Bubbles frowned as he walked around the house with his arms outstretched. "Ooh ooh?"

His ears then picked up the sound of Tien running behind me, causing the monkey to start barreling forward-

-Where he was then picked up and grinned at by Tien.

"Congrats! You have passed the test! You must be very proud of yourself!" King Kai complimented, and Tien bowed.

"Multiform." Tien said solemnly. "What you don't know might get you killed."

"Well, I'm just happy that all that monkey business is straightened out." King Kai joked, starting to obnoxiously laugh yet again. Tien put a hand to his forehead, embarrassed at the awful joke that he had just heard.

"Alright, now this is the last part of the test that will grant you training from me! Gregory!" King Kai said, finally starting to calm down from his laughter. The overseer of the North Quadrant snapped his fingers, and a blinding flash sped out from the house. Tien couldn't even see what it was until it appeared right in front of Tien.

It was Gregory, King Kai's loudmouth pet cricket. Tien had seen Gregory never leave King Kai's side whenever the Sprite decided to come out of the house and watch Tien's attempts at capturing Bubbles.

"I want you to hit Gregory with this mallet!" King Kai held out his hand and generated a large focal point of matter, which he then converted into a large mallet. The martial arts teacher tossed it to Tien, who firmly grasped it.

"Alright Gregory, start flying!" King Kai ordered, and the grasshopper took off. King Kai's pet started to laugh, expecting this to take a long time.

However, Gregory had forgotten one of the most important lessons in life: never expect anything. Tien was so accustomed to the gravity of the planet that he could walk around on it now just as easily as he could on Earth. Easily, Tien phased in front of Gregory's direction and slammed the mallet down with the easiest force he could muster. Unfortunately, that kind of power was still enough to disorient Gregory.

"Wow! Way to go Tien! That was the quickest anyone's ever managed to hit Gregory, including King Yemma and I! And considering that we were the only two to do so besides you…"

He frowned at Tien's facepalm. "You're no fun, you know that?"

King Kai took in a deep breath. "Alright, I promised you that I'd train you if you passed my tests, and well, you passed my tests." King Kai praised, walking over and putting a hand on his pupil's shoulder.

"It's time for you to begin my training. It is time for you to start your journey on the way to becoming one of the strongest beings in the universe."

* * *

"_Run faster! They're gaining on us!"_

"_Watch out from the left, Master Tien!"_

"_Kaioken times 30!" shouted Tien, accelerating his speed to keep up with his pupils. "Come with me, you two! If the androids get us, it's all over!"_

* * *

Chapters 4-10 will be receiving editing later.

_Goku: 4,500._

_Tien(Arrival on King Kai's Planet): 674._

_Raditz: 4,700._

_Nappa: 5,900._

_Nappa(Full Power): ?_

_Vegeta: 25,000._

_Gohan: 2,300._

_Piccolo: 2,600._


	5. Chapter V: Doppelganger

**Turles Saga- Part 2: Doppelganger**

"Hi-yaah!" shouted Tien aggressively, thrusting his fist forwards with a mighty roar. As he raced around the small green planet, the triclops was illuminated in a dazzling red aura, throwing a rapid stream of attacks towards his invisible opponent.

_Good work Tien, _mused his master, feeling a surge of pride swell within him. _Not even I could get the basics of the kaioken in only three days… you're a natural._

However, the pride and admiration he felt for his pupil was offset by the worrywart within him. No matter how disciplined or mentally strong a warrior Tien was, the Kaioken had potentially lethal side effects—its speed and power, while effective, could also cause his organs to implode from the exertion. The mere fact that the Kai could feel Tien's senses heightening and his heartbeat pump at a quicker pace didn't help assuage the Kai's fears one bit. King Kai could sense it within him; this bald warrior could be forced into pushing his luck with the Kaioken, which would inevitably send him right back to the afterlife if he wasn't careful.

But at this moment, nothing had happened. Well at least if the Kai considered Tien wiping the beads of sweat off his brow a pertinent activity. The former student of the Crane School was exhausted after every day of practice, but the end result would be nothing but beneficial to the Earth—or so he thought.

"Excellent work again, Tien! You are very close to mastering the Kaioken technique, and as you can already see, it is a very tough technique to master and use efficiently. Not even I could use it properly, and I'm the one who taught it to you!" King Kai turned and beckoned for Tien to follow him inside for break, partially out of the fear that his pupil could potentially overexert himself with such a self-destructive technique if he wasn't careful enough.

"I just hope it's enough to even defeat the Saiyans. Kami knows that Goku and his brother have gotten much stronger," mused Tien out loud, while contemplating ways to up his usage of such a powerful technique without killing himself in the process. He'd need it to survive such an ordeal with Raditz and his new allies...

"Don't worry!" King Kai exclaimed with a grin. "If you're able to keep up your level of progress, you should breeze right through those Saiyans!"

Tien let out a small gasp. "King Kai, I'm honored that you have such faith in my abilities…but there's no way I could catch up to the Goku or Raditz without pushing my body to its absolute limit—actually, I'd have to go even further beyond my limits if such a thing were possible."

The fish-resembling creature watched with amusement as Bubbles tried to balance the dishes that Gregory had cooked up. "Tien don't you realize that by simply making it here, you've made extraordinary progress?"

"It's not enough!" Tien blurted out, his inner resentment to the intrinsic nature of saiyan power coursing through his veins. "Don't you see, King Kai? If I'm not a Saiyan, I won't ever become strong enough!"

Unconsciously, Tien's power began to gather in a dangerous vortex, rippling and pulsating around his frustrated and disheveled form. "I'm only human… and that's NOT ENOUGH!"

Suddenly, the triclops flashed into his Kaioken state. His net energy broke free of its confinement, unleashing itself in the form of a bright and exuberant aura as it decimated everything within sight.

The first thing to collapse was King Kai's pleasant little abode, which crumbled down before the King of all Kai's very eyes.

The next object to be demolished was King Kai's car. The convertible was lifted into the planet's orbit and flung like a slingshot directly into the terminal point of Snake Way.

"Tien!" King Kai shouted, obviously miffed at Tien's little temper tantrum. Who was going to go all the way down Snake Way to deliver him a new house and car? "Why'd you have to go and do that?!"

However, King Kai's protests were met on deaf ears. The normally stoic warrior wasn't himself, and it showed by how his red aura crackled and hummed violently around him. _This power… it's like nothing I've ever felt before in my life… could this… be the key to protecting the Earth?_

Exhaling out of his mouth, Tien let his crimson aura fade away as he stood heroically towards the skyline; his back to King Kai. "That's what they're capable of, isn't it King Kai? Exterminating planets like I nearly did, right?"

"The truth?" questioned King Kai in an uncharacteristic manner, like he didn't know what Tien was talking about for a split second. "Yes. It's what they do for a living—they grow stronger with every fight they partake in. I'd be lying if I told you that you'd be fighting that Saiyan again with barely any increase in power."

"Then tell me. Everything." Tien turned to face his master, and it was then when King Kai noticed the look of both a determined warrior and a frightened man with a desperate look in his third eye. "I need to know everything I can about them if I want to defeat them."

"I can tell you whatever you need to know. All that I ask is that you not interrupt, because it's a lot of information," King Kai replied.

The seconds slowly ticked by as Tien calmly waited for King Kai to gather his findings on the Saiyans. As much as he hated to admit it, Goku was now one of them—he needed to be ready to face him if such action was required.

King Kai didn't give a warning as he relayed what he knew to his protégé. "Many years ago, before you were even born, there were two tribes on planet Vegeta. There were the Saiyans, which were Goku's ancestors, and then there were the Tuffles. The Tuffles were actually similar to the Earthlings. They just had extremely advanced technology that negated the physical edge the saiyan's had. The Saiyans on the other hand lived in primitive fashion, cavemen if you will."

"You see, the Saiyans had two main things in common with each other. They all had tails, and they were all bloodthirsty warriors, living each day of their lives sparring and fighting with one another. But because they were so small in number, the Tuffles never worried about them until that fatal day. The war for planet Vegeta began, and the Saiyans took an early lead. However, it was the one night when a full moon occurred, that sealed the fate of the Tuffle race." King Kai continued onwards.

Suddenly, it came back to Tien in one swift motion. "Their tails…isn't that what enabled their transformation?" Tien queried.

"Their transformation allows them to increase their power many times over. Full moons only happened every eight years on planet Vegeta, so perhaps it was a sign of sorts for their victory. Whatever the case, the Saiyans were able to finish off the Tuffles and claim Planet Vegeta as their own with relative ease. The Tuffles didn't even know what had hit them," commented the Kai.

Tien felt sick to his stomach. How could even the innocent and pure hearted Goku have come from a race of monsters? If anything, Goku seemed to symbolize everything that the Saiyan race wasn't. If even his thoughts about Piccolo were spiteful, a simple Saiyan was the devil himself.

_And yet,_ he told himself. _Those were never his true feelings. If he hadn't hit his head when he was a boy, he wouldn't be the Goku we know today… and now who we miss dearly in these trying times._

Oblivious to Tien's heartfelt monologue, King Kai continued to ramble on. "But it turned out to be a curse in disguise for the Saiyans. Without the advanced technology that the Tuffles procured for themselves, they couldn't travel in space. This meant that they couldn't satisfy the one desire that they craved—the ability to fight worthy opponents. I'm sure that you've heard this joke at least once in your life—how many Saiyans does it take to build a rocket ship?" King Kai grinned, but Tien simply remained stumped. All he knew was that King Kai was preparing to exude his 'wit' in yet another pathetic joke.

"Uh, no. I can't say that I have," Tien replied, bored as ever by the Kai's desperate attempt to amuse his friend. King Kai smiled as he realized that he'd have an opportunity to teach his pupil one of the greatest jokes that he had ever heard.

"Well it's a really good one…" King Kai was about to tell the joke, and sensing this, Tien took action.

"Not now, King Kai." Tien stopped the blue skinned legend from telling the joke, and King Kai pouted.

"Fine. Well, not too far away was a race that was known as the Arcosians. The Arcosians had money and technology, but their home planet Arcos had become a deluge thanks to snowstorms and close to absolute zero temperatures. The Saiyans agreed to take over a planet for them, and an unholy business partnership was formed. With Saiyan might and Arcosian intellect, a fleet of space pirates was formed." King Kai simply kept on spewing the information he could find Saiyan history.

"That's what Goku and his brother are probably in…" growled Tien. _I can't believe such a good-hearted guy like Goku has to go through something like this!_

"I'll get there in a second, hold on. An armada of space pods was created for the Saiyans, and they even sent babies to other planets. That's my guess on how your friend Goku got to planet Earth. The Saiyans had no problems with sending young children because as soon as they grew up, they'd be able to exterminate the population of that planet," King Kai added, frowning solemn at the cruel and barbaric fact of Saiyan military and diplomatic politic. Even he thought that it was terrible that babies were being sent against their will.

"I'd love to exterminate _them!" _Tien exclaimed, slamming his fists together fearsomely. He couldn't fathom why people would even do that, although his gut feeling told him why. Money and power were two of the most important things regardless of planet, and he had a feeling that this played a huge role in the Saiyans' actions.

"Well, all misdeeds carry a great recompense. Like Earth, Planet Vegeta had a guardian who was equally appalled at how the Saiyan's conducted themselves. Using his powers, he was able to attract an asteroid field to the planet, and the Saiyan homeworld was destroyed almost instantaneously. Only four Saiyans were able to survive the destruction of Planet Vegeta, and your friend Goku was one of them." King Kai finally concluded his speech with that factoid.

Needless to say, Tien was appalled at the atrocities that the Saiyans performed in their history. "I never thought I'd be so thrilled to hear about the death of a race."

"Let's head back to training, Tien. Pretty soon, you'll be able to go ape on the Saiyans!" King Kai laughed, obviously finding delight in his awful pun. Tien, being rightfully horrified by the destructive race's actions, couldn't find it in him to even react negatively to the 'humorous' comment.

"You know…if you're not going to laugh at my jokes, at least try to come up with one on your own!" King Kai pouted; the red aura of Tien re-igniting as he began to dive around the planet again.

* * *

"Took you about time to get here, monkeys," Zarbon sneered as he flicked his ponytail behind his ear as his amber eyes stayed locked onto his 'allies.'

"Well, maybe if you hadn't taken a luxury pod with two times our speed..." Raditz challenged, standing up to the cyan-skinned warrior. "...We could've gotten here at the same time, and you could go call your girlfriend Chuck a lot sooner."

Zarbon stared down at the low-class warrior with a look that resembled an amused parent at a young child's antics. Unfortunately for Raditz, Zarbon was not one to be talked back to.

Raditz found himself collecting dust on the ground a moment later.

"Don't raise your voice to me, you worthless low-class. What you are going to do is go exterminate these locals facing east," scowled the effeminate alien. "And I suggest you get a move-it; Lord Frieza won't be happy with slow progress."

Raditz recollected the feeling in his jaw before standing up and thrusting his arm to the left, generating a large Saturday Crush in the creases of his palm. "Is that so?! I'll show you slow progress!"

The blast was sent with a roar; it detonated in the heart of a nearby civilization. Asphalt and debris were kicked up by the attack, flooding the intruders' eyes as they stared down their respective ally.

When the smoke cleared, the Saiyan and Frieza's right-hand henchman were still staring each other down with no words being uttered. A slight wind blew their hair in the breeze; their stoic gazes towards each other never faltering.

Suddenly, Raditz shot his hated foe a devious smirk as he shot off in a blaze of white, dashing towards the city of which he'd destroyed mere moments ago to look for any survivors.

The cyan-skinned warrior noticed Goku seemingly standing off to the side, merely watching. "Well? Get to work, Saiyan. Can't you see your brother has done the same?"

Goku simply glared at Frieza's right-hand man. "Don't think that you can tell me what to do, you freak of nature. Sit there and laugh while you can Zarbon…one of these days, you'll pay for your misdeeds, just like your predecessors before you."

The Saiyan was amused by the cyan-skinned warrior's aura of horror and uncertainty. "Yeah, that's right. And if a Saiyan doesn't kill you, most likely it'll be 'Lord' Frieza himself… there's only a matter of time before he realizes how useless you are compared to the Ginyus."

As much as the crown Prince of his forgotten home world was horrified to even consider the fact that Frieza could potentially find no use for him, he covered it up with his usual smirk and chuckle. "I'll tell you what, monkey. I'll let this slide; just this once. You're Frieza's new toy, and I would absolutely _hate_ to see another plaything of his being... _broken_."

Instead of being intimidated by Zarbon's threat, Goku only crossed his arms and smirked. "All _toys _eventually break, Zarbon. It's usually the older toys that someone scraps first."

"You impudent Saiyan…" snarled Zarbon. "I ought to kill you for this!"

Goku let out a light chuckle. "Will you, Zarbon? Go ahead." The Saiyan spread his arms out far and wide, giving Zarbon the perfect opportunity to blast him through the heart.

When Zarbon did nothing more than growl angrily at his comrade, Goku knew he had won this war of words.

* * *

"I'm not pulling any punches this time around!" Nappa screamed, surrounding himself within his sparkling yellow aura. The brutish Saiyan was in disbelief that two midgets were stronger than him, but Nappa had learned after all his time in the Saiyan Army and serving under Frieza that giving up wasn't an option. A sandstorm started because of the energy that Nappa was radiating; the ground even quaked in fear of his raw power.

"Well, look at this, brother. Seems that this pathetic fool doesn't know when to give up!" Raisin sneered, staring condescendingly at Nappa's expanding musculature.

The poor purple alien didn't even see Nappa's fist collide with his face, leaving a solid mark. Raisin stumbled back as Nappa regained his footing and glared at the two twins.

"I'm going to show you the true power of a Saiyan elite!" Nappa exclaimed as he vanished into the murky skies.

"Where the—AHH!" yelled Lakusei, feeling his stomach being rearranged by one of Nappa's devastating kicks.

Nappa sent Lakesei flying with a snap-kick to the solar plexus, while pivoting around on his heel to thrust-jab the big-headed warrior. An Impact Bomb followed as each of the twins threw up multiple dust clouds in opposite directions.

* * *

Alas, for every use of energy, there is also a decrease in energy. Nappa's sudden energy boost was from concentrating all of his power into quick bursts of power—he didn't know if he could keep up this intensity for any valuable length of time.

"Come on! I haven't got all day!" Nappa taunted, eager for the fighting to resume. Raisin jumped up and started to punch Nappa as fast as he could, but Nappa just returned each punch that he received with one of his own.

"Ha…ha…I won't allow you to beat me!" Nappa smirked as he kneed Raisins in the chest and then brought down both of hands on his forehead. Raisin spat out a little bit of blood as he fell, cursing at himself that he was allowing Nappa to completely change how the battle was going.

"This is insane! How could he have gotten so strong?" Raisin angrily exclaimed as Lakusei leapt up at Nappa and tried to deliver a clean punch to Nappa's face, but the smirking Saiyan simply grabbed the fist and started to squeeze it, much to the pain and belabored annoyance of Lakusei.

"L-let go!" Lakasei whined loudly.

"Well all right, if you say so!" Suddenly, Nappa slammed Lakusei down to the ground like a toy and elevated his leg to strike Lakesei near his armpit, sending the purple imp tumbling to the side.

"Now you see what it's like to mess with a real Saiyan!" Nappa continued to laugh as he extended his arms directly at Lakasei, ready to finish off the tiny alien. This was, until an energy blast hit him in the back of his armor.

"Hey! What the?" Nappa asked, not managing to see that Raisin had phased behind him. The Beenz fighter head butted Nappa with all of his power to knock him backwards.

Using Nappa's moment of hesitation against him, Raisin darted forward and swept for Nappa's knee while his brother corkscrew-kicked Nappa from the air in preparation to perform a high-low combination.

Nappa—while spinning on the ground like a dradel —slammed his bulky fist into the ground to hold himself up; his legs spun in either direction to force the twins away from him.

The Saiyan general leapt back onto his feet, his eyes darting between Rasin and Lakusei, waiting for either of these little imps to start the next series of attacks. _These punks are good… but if I could just get a single opening against them..._

"Lakusei! I think it's time that we end this! No more!" Raisin suggested, and Lakasei grinned to his brother in response. Both brothers put out their hands and started to charge energy in their palms with the silent hope that the Saiyan would be dispatched with this last attack.

"Non-Stop Barrage!" The two called out simultaneously and began to thrust their arms forward in a rapid manner, pelting the much larger warrior with a non-stop barrage of ki-blasts.

Both barrages raced at Nappa from both his twelve o'clock and his six o'clock, forcing the much larger warrior to release an energy barrier that he pooled within his ki coils. Without warning, the destructive attack barreled into Raisin, causing blood to gush from his skull as he careened into a pillar of rock.

The Saiyan then felt a stinging feeling on his back as soon as he relinquished his hold of the explosive barrier he had erected around himself. Turning around, the man was startled to see Lakusei grinning at him. "Why don't you give up?! The Crusher Corps don't know how to lose!"

Nappa let out a painful yell as he arched his back and released another destructive barrier that disintegrated another rapid stream of energy blast gunning straight for him.

As Nappa's voice rose in decibels, Lakusei laughed maliciously as he flared his aura, increasing the size of his blasts. "Just try to hang on, weakling! There's no way you can keep this up forever!"

Suddenly, another barrage joined his brother's from behind; Nappa was trapped between the two continuous streams of energy.

"Cocky little freaks!" Nappa grunted as the blasts seemed to get stronger and stronger, almost as if they were setting up for some grand theatric ending. The Saiyan was slowly getting pushed back, but there was nothing that he could do. His power up from earlier had weakened him, and now he was just trying to stay alive. Nappa was tough; he could persevere though this, but only if he refused to give up. It was against his code of honor to back down for any reason.

* * *

"Prince Vegeta…"

The Prince pivoted around as he heard his name. "Who's there?!" Silence greeted the Prince of All Saiyans as he glanced around the desolate area.

"Foolish… being off guard like that can cause fatal injury."

Psyched out by his invisible opponent, Vegeta fired a sphere of pink energy towards the ground, leveling the remaining branches that had actually survived the draining of Planet Delos's natural resources.

"Where are you?!" demanded Vegeta. "I am the Prince of all Saiyans; you'll regret not answering to me!"

"If you don't recall, I just addressed you by your 'title'. Foolish Vegeta; always worried about his race."

Vegeta tapped his pink scouter, the familiar beeping and whining sound echoing through his eardrums.

"I'm going to level this place in five seconds! You have until then to show yourself! Five…" A bright pink energy sphere materialized in Vegeta's palm.

"Four…" growled the Prince of All Saiyans, his body twisting to the side and the power within the dangerous orb intensified exponentially.

His arm twitched violently as he flared his aura once again. "Three…"

The ball of energy began to hum in his hand, expanding to almost full capacity. A haunting glow started to emanate from his cupped hand. "Two…"

Vegeta compressed the sphere into a beam of his most weaponized energy, daring this fool to even try and take him on. "One!"

The figure made its move, their knee racing towards the back of Vegeta's cranium. Unfortunately for this figure, Vegeta wasn't falling for such plebian battle tactics; his fighting instincts caused him to shift his elbow upwards to counter the figure's knee.

Vegeta then promptly spun around and fired this deadly sphere of energy directly into the other warrior's stomach, sending the unknown warrior back into the air from which he'd hidden himself in.

"You…" Vegeta commented, sizing up the warrior above him, clothed in a similar fighting armor to his own. "You're that weakling, Turles… the one who couldn't handle the Saiyan army's rigorous training."

"My how times change," grinned Turles, rolling his neck as he stared down the Prince. "I'll tell you what, though. The fact that you were able to anticipate my attack says something—you're far more intelligent than even Amond. How would you like to be my second-in-command?" sneered the rebel saiyan, smiling while knowing that Vegeta would scoff at his offer like the royal brat he was.

Vegeta levitated up to match the pale Saiyan's altitude, arms crossed. "I don't like the way you look…"

The Saiyan laughed. "Poor Vegeta…always having to be so noble and gentile…"

Prince Vegeta eased himself into one of his patented fighting stance as he tried to interpret his fellow Saiyan's word usage. "What the-"

"Because suicide is the coward's way out!" screamed Turles, his face devoid of any hint of humanity.

The two dashed at each other with their fists outstretched; both connected with a sickening THUD. Vegeta then ducked under Turles' wildly aimed punch with a laugh before he elegantly struck his enemy's ribcage with a knee to the stomach.

Turles recovered from the pain and clasped his arm around Vegeta's shoulder guard as he too lifted his knee to strike the Prince in the diaphragm, causing the Prince to howl in pain.

The two then quickly backed off and retreated away from each other, the winds tousling their hair viciously as the two powered up to prepare for a more intense and lasting confrontation.

Turles rushed forward first and clocked the prince in the cheek while Vegeta was caught off guard by the swift strike. Continuing his advantage, Turles buried his knee into Vegeta's temple. This time though, Vegeta was able to catch Turles' other fist and quickly propelled his legs forward and struck his opponent in the stomach, forcing Turles to keel over.

The flame-haired warrior dropped back slightly before re-launching himself forward at Turles with his right leg tucked in and his left outstretched.

Unfortunately, Turles saw straight through Vegeta's tactic and pulled his head out of the golden-tipped boot's way, grabbing the royal Prince by the same footwear.

Grinning, Turles pulled the arrogant Prince towards his fist-

-Yet the Prince retaliated by head-butting Turles in the chin, causing the destroyer of Delos to drift back as he released Vegeta from his grasp. Wordlessly, the Prince lifted his leg upwards to strike Turles at the same spot, causing his head to shoot up in a vicious manner.

Vegeta then flipped himself over and rushed in with a dropkick to the pale Saiyan's diaphragm, creating distance between the two fighters.

The leader of the Crusher Corps held his stomach in pain as he struggled to steady himself in air.

"Hyyyaahh!"

An axe handle slammed down onto Turles' rib-cage, sending the Goku look-alike spiraling down to the unforgiving ground of Delos. A dust cloud signified his meeting with this rocky surface.

Vegeta landed on the rough surface of the ground with a soft TAP. "You know… for someone who's managed to get a whole gang of space pirates together and somehow survive after the destruction of our home planet, you're laughably weak. The scouter predicted you at 30,000—I guess this piece of junk needs an upgrade."

The space pirate sat up with a groan of pain as his vision cleared from the heavy blows that the Prince of all Saiyans had dealt him in a ruthless manner. _How is this possible? The last report I found on his power was 18,000! There's no way he could've possibly jumped up to be so powerful!__  
_

Vegeta raised his hand, charging a violent energy wave. "Be gone."

As the beam raced towards Turles, the Saiyan realized he still had a chance of living. Reaching into his pocket, the Saiyan took a quick nibble on a fruit before carelessly tossing it aside.

His muscle size slightly bulked up, as did his armor; the unique quality of it expanding hadn't changed. With this new muscle mass, Turles sprang up and deflected the blast with little difficulty.

As Turles took a moment to look over his increased strength, Vegeta lowered his palm with a frown. _Well… seems I'll be getting a good exercise this time around._

"Things are going ahead of schedule."

* * *

It was rare for Dr. Gero to say that. The study and application of robotics was astoundingly difficult, painstakingly long, and extraordinarily delicate without a team of experienced engineers, scientists and lab technicians in place. For most meddling professionals, such a practice would've been impossible; but not for Gero. To him, these deficiencies were annoyances instead of challenges.

Androids #10, #11 and #12 were an interesting bunch. Originally, these groups of androids were meant to include the black-haired boy and blond-haired girl that were still sitting at his lab table, but the mad scientist had quickly discarded that idea. Recent discoveries of a scientific origin had made his previous plans obsolete.

While experimenting on a helium-three reactor, something strange happened. When infused with a constant stream of even the most mundane levels of ki, it produced one continuous stream of power that didn't fade, taper out or explode violently. It was an incredible discovery; a source of infinite energy emissions. As long as there was a farthing of power being inputted, it could output unbelievable levels in return.

Up until that point, Gero saw no point in keeping either of the twins alive. They were simply just cannon fodder that could be disposed of anytime he wished. This changed everything. This helium-three reactor needed a subject that was alive; for some reason, pure electricity wouldn't do. They were the ideal candidates to be his new set of androids that would use this technology.

However, the mad scientist was weary of just putting in one of these reactors and unleashing them to kill the Z-fighters. First of all, the amount of power a helium-three reactor gave off was dependent on the amount of helium-three that was inputted. The more helium-three in the reaction, the more powerful his creations would be in return was a simple of saying this.

But what if the obscene happened and his androids actually lost? He'd lose any helium-three he had already stockpiled—and he didn't have the money or resources to recover from such a botched endeavor. He could also potentially tip off the Z-Fighters to his existence and also to the possibility of there being an infinite energy core in the universe. With a fellow genius like Bulma working for them, Gero knew he couldn't give away such valuable intel willy-nilly.

Unfortunately, he also thought that giving people like the blonde-haired girl and her brother that kind of power would be foolish. They clearly cared more about each other than his grand ambition, even after he had programmed them to obey his commands above all else. Giving them this kind of power could be catastrophic if they chose to become rebellious.

So the mad doctor began to build Androids #10, 11 and 12 to kill off any remaining Z-Fighters right here and now. Hopefully, risking the installation of an infinite energy core into those two rebellious twits wouldn't come back to haunt him.

* * *

Darkness. In the vast chasm of space, that single word defined everything around you. It surrounded you, enveloped you, and finally transformed you. Nobody escaped its infinite grasp, nor could anybody defy its all-consuming power. Everybody was a slave to the dark of space; not even a mighty overlord like Frieza could circumvent this all-important fact.

Speaking of the tyrant, that was exactly what he was doing: staring into the dark columns of space, drinking his hourly glass of wine. Swishing the glass back and forth, Frieza sighed as the red liquid in the glass surged forward, receded back and curved around the glass. Things hadn't been going well for the despot in recent memory.

Unsurprisingly, the tyrant was anxious about the presence of Vegeta's newest playmate. At first, he wasn't impressed by the chipper Saiyan. He was clearly an impressionable twit with no real killing instinct. In the mind of the tyrant at the time, the poor fool would've been sniffed out by some passerby a long time ago. But as he each day passed, his concerns grew and grew about this new Saiyan in his army. Although laughably naïve, he was powerful; even by the armies' standards. And his power had been growing exponentially every month. Who knew what he'd be able to do given a decade? Perhaps even a year would be enough to place him above even Captain Ginyu.

Although his power was a concern, that wasn't the reason for his anxiety. After all, how powerful could a monkey be? No, it was what that infuriating monkey was doing to his army that was making Frieza think about killing him.

The fact that rampant corruption, endemic levels of rape and genocidal rampages permeated the very core of his army wasn't any mistake. Frieza and his "talent" scouts made sure only the worst scum he ever came across were allowed into the army. These wretched types of souls were easy to find, easy to break, and easy to control. They were what made Frieza the fearsome evil across the universe.

Goku was none of these things. He wasn't easy to break, he wasn't easy to find, nor was he easy to control. In fact, Frieza was beginning to think that he couldn't be broken at all. No matter what he did, that Saiyan was able to bounce back unfazed.

It was Goku's persistence that scared the tyrant. Granted, he wouldn't score many converts, the troublesome Saiyan was becoming a light in the darkness of his army. And the only way for the dark to exist was in the absence of light.

"Lord Frieza!" boomed Dodoria, almost barreling into Frieza's audience chamber. Once he was within the aforementioned room, the pink demon kneeled in front of his lord.

"Report," commanded Frieza, his normally shrill voice reaching a higher octave than normal. "Do tell me your opinion on the Saiyans."

"Yes, Lord Frieza," responded Dodoria intently, his eyes darkening maliciously. "These saiyans ought to die right now, Lord Frieza."

"Why so serious, Dodoria?" enquired Frieza, turning around to face his right-hand man. "That's an awfully big claim to make; you must feel very_strongly_about this to be so bold in your assertions."

"Remember when you ordered me to purge the Saiyans on Planet Meat, my lord?" asked the bulky alien, trying to stop himself from staring at Frieza. Eye contact was a very big no-no with the despot.

"Of course I do. Now go on," nonchalantly replied Frieza, beckoning his lackey to continue with his speech. Secretly, the Arcosian liked where Dodoria was taking this; he was making his little tripe of a conversation very interesting.

"Very well, my lord," continued Dodoria, picking and choosing his word before proceeding any farther.

"As you already know, only one person survived: that Bardock fellow. I don't know how he did it in such short time, but his power jumped tremendously from Meat to when he confronted you."

"Get to the point, Dodoria," warned Frieza, glowering at his lieutenant derisibly. "Spare me the preamble. What do you want me to know?"

Dodoria nodded to his superior and stopped beating around the bush. "From what you deduced, this Goku is the son of Bardock, and he's growing just as quickly in the same amount of time. If he continues growing like he has, then we ought to eliminate him before he becomes a legitimate threat."

"I'll consider what you said," responded Frieza, sighing from the frustration that the situation demanded.

"In the meantime, you are dismissed."

"Yes, my lord," reiterated the tyrant's lackey, who strolled away from his lord in quick succession after his aforementioned ruler dismissed him.

* * *

The great open spaces of Earth were very quiet places. Despite the immense size of these great moors, they were really nothing more than wastelands. Vibrant fauna was inconspicuously absent from the barren soil, and birds and animals generally just passed through on their quest for more fertile pastures. And forget about human contact. The nearest settlement was at least four-hundred miles away.

Solitude. Regardless of whether you were an introvert or an extrovert, dealing with the disconnect from the realities of the day were something you just had to put up with. And that was easier for some people than others.

Piccolo was one of these lucky people. The green-skinned warrior spoke barely more than five words-per-day unless he was responding to questions or handing out orders. There wasn't any secret to why he choose this place in comparison to another equally suitable training ground.

His charge wasn't so lucky. Gohan was a soul that thrived best in a group. As a person, he never felt at ease by himself. Perhaps it was out of his insistent doubt in his own decision making, maybe it was intrinsic generous streak that tinged the very framework of his soul. Whatever the reason, the boy hated being alone more than almost anything else in the world.

At night, this loathing was even worse. Nothing seemed to be around at night; nothing but the evanescent glow of the stars above. Every night, the boy gazed up into the moon and beseeched one wish from the gods above: 'please bring my daddy back?'

And each night his wish wasn't granted. He would wake up each day almost as alone as the day before; only the pleasant rays of sunshine made him slightly more cheery than the night before.

Gohan was a dreamer, but also an unvarnished realist. Every night he pondered why he even bothered with this little ritual. What good could come out of hoping for something that only action could reap? Wishes upon a star rarely come true, didn't they? Maybe these feelings were just the cynic in him talking, but he was starting to feel the disillusionment and hopelessness of the men and women that had lived and lost in their lives.

But for some reason, every night ended in the same way: with him kneeling down; face awkwardly pointed towards the moon—wishing with the deepest conviction in his heart for his father's return.

Tonight was different. After having assumed the kneeling position, Gohan lifted his head up towards the full moon. _The moon sure is pretty tonight. I wonder why my mother was so scared that I might see it when it was full?_ thought Gohan, staring directly into the center of the vivacious lunar rock.

Instantly, the vibrant lunar light started to make the young boy feel funny. Every muscle fiber started to tighten and every hair bristled involuntary in his body. "Ahh!" screamed the boy, when the growing pain of the Oozaru transformation kicked in.

Suddenly, neither his knees nor his mind could handle this growing well of interminable pain and power coursing through his veins. His mind was forced into unconsciousness; his body collapsed awkwardly onto the harsh and compact soil under his feet.

Unfortunately, unconsciousness didn't stop this progressively more terrifying transformation from continuing on unabated. Dark fur started to crop up everywhere and his eyes started to widen and change hue.

Without any further ado, the boy began to grow—and grow he did. Ten feet? Twenty feet? Fifty feet? One-hundred feet? No puerile measurement could describe the immensity of the gorilla Gohan had become.

* * *

Meanwhile, on a large rocky precipice ten miles away, Piccolo was meditating solemnly amongst his tranquil surroundings. Throughout his life, the act of meditating had become one of his most common customs; an intrinsic trait of his personality. He just didn't feel right when his mind and body weren't concentrated on one task at hand; when his thoughts weren't integrated into one singular focus. Meditating gave him this harmony that very few other things did.

Without warning, an unholy roar echoed across the dark horizon, disrupting the melancholic peace of the wasteland. Turning towards the epicenter of the disturbance, Piccolo was horrified by the sight of yet another giant monkey roaming the land. _First Raditz, and now this? What's happening here?_

The Oozaru growled and stamped it feet uncontrollably; as if it were trying to find an inanimate object to channel its aggression though. In a fluid motion, the giant monkey picked up a rocky pillar and chucked it across the wasteland before letting loose another rage-filled roar.

_How could there be another one of those behemoths?_ mused Piccolo grimly. _Where do these come from?_

To make matters worse, it was at that precise moment that Gohan's eyes locked onto Piccolo's faint shadow on the horizon. With a deafening yell, the ape launched a massive purple beam at the far away Namekian.

"Oh crap," groaned the former demon king, dodging the enormous beam frenziedly while dashing away from the fuming ape. "This is going to be a painfully long night."

* * *

"Come on! If you're as strong as you say you are, then why are we still dominating you?" Lakusei taunted, as he continued his relentless barrage at the Saiyan.

_Damn! I have to figure out a way to get past him! _Nappa thought, growing more and more desperate as the time kept on ticking by slowly. Suddenly, this desperation turned into anger, then into rage, then into the purest form of power the brutish Saiyan had ever wielded.

Nappa surrounded himself in this power, letting a bright yellow sphere of energy envelop him as he charged ruthlessly at Raisin with a malicious cackle, quickly backhanding him to the side before pivoting and charging towards his brother.

Lakusei let out a cry of horror as he put all the power he potentially could into his blasts. Unfortunately for the imp, Nappa was unfazed by even his best efforts.

"That's impossible! How did you manage to get through my attack?" Lakusei shouted violently as Nappa swung his leg around and kicked him straight into the ground with a heel kick that sent him airbourne.

Lakasei turned around and shot off an energy attack that would pierced through right through Nappa if it had came into contact with his skin. Unfortunately, due to the oversaturation of energy in his aura, the blast was diverted away from Nappa's body and allowed to pass harmlessly into the sky. Pressing his advantage, the brute caught up to Lakusei quickly and buried his fist directly into his solar-plexus. The brute then followed up his attack by gripping the purple fighter by the arm and hurling him to the side, smashing his spine brutally into a pillar.

"Come on, purple freak! You done yet?" sneered the powerhouse. "I'm going to break you completely…." Suddenly, in a desperate gambit, the previously out of action Raisin ambushed the saiyan from behind, gaining a clear shot at his head.

But his attack was in vain. Just as he was about to pounce, Nappa's figure became blurry and Raisin knew that he had been duped.

"Looking for me?" mocked Nappa, reappearing behind Raisin's purple back.

Raisin turned around to see Nappa slam his right arm ruthlessly down on his arm; the sheer force of the blow crushed the bones in Raisin's arm and cleaved through his skin. By the time Nappa lifted his leg to stomp his arm again, the brute noticed he had already crudely amputated Raisin's arm.

The bald Saiyan smiled gleefully at the minion, whom had sank to the floor in shock, his voice cracking with terror as the blood dripped freely from his missing appendage.

Nappa then delivered a strong kick to the imp's ribs, sending Raisin flying high into the air.

The Saiyan drew his palm back with a sadistic chuckle; his hand began to shine from the effulgent glow of the ki blast that was enveloped by his palm. "At least you can try to dodge!"

"Brother!" Lakasei screamed in fright, rushing towards Nappa with everything the purple imp had left in reserve.

Nappa turned his head and scowled at the desperate warrior behind his half destroyed shoulder guard. "Don't worry; you can join him too!"

Spinning around on the ball of his foot, Nappa caught Lakusei's arm with his free hand and drew him closer in for a devastating kick to the torso, forcing blood to rocket out of Lakusei's mouth onto Nappa's lower leg. The brute then used his hold on the imp's arm to hurl him over to his brother, relishing the moment when the two brothers collided into one another.

The Saiyan laughed as he let his aura fizzle out, forcing any residual energy to channel into his right palm as he winded up his arm.

"Goodbye, you little freaks of nature!" Nappa grinned wildly as he flicked his arm to the right, causing a great, fiery explosion that completely vaporized the two beings into oblivion.

The maelstrom that encased the fallen planet was devastating; boulders smashed their way back down into the ground as tremors forced crevices to simply collapse into nothingness as nature built the twins' grave.

A weak, yet gentle breeze began to ring out after the devastation ceased, playing a song as if nature mourned their losses. While this comforting breeze would be relaxing and refreshing to the common person, the chilly air that seeped its way into Nappa's cuts and tears in his armor was actually quite painful to the Prince's bodyguard.

_Wow, that was close. I can't believe I let two little midgets get the best of me for a little while. I'd better try to find Vegeta!_ Nappa thought, leaping into the air in order to find his comrade.

Yet as soon as he'd leapt into the sky, his world went dark.

* * *

_Not much to say here, but I hope you enjoyed. _

_Power Levels:_

_Goku: 4,500._

_Raditz: 4,700._

_Piccolo: 3,400._

_Gohan: 3,200._


	6. Chapter VI: Death of a Dream

**Turles Saga - Part 3: Death of a Dream**

Desolation. All that remained of that once large populated city was thin wisps of smoke and barren ruins. In the center of the dreary canvas was the city's destroyer; the menacing soul that extinguished any hope of Yardratian life with a simple flick of the wrist. Only the suburban population of the city stood any chance of even a humble existence after this destructive attack, and that was only true if they could escape from the killzone. Everybody present had learned a cold hard truth: Saiyan destructive power was an awe-inspiring sight, even in the hands of a simpleton.

Peering down over the ruins that he created, Raditz clenched his fist before conducting a cursory scan of the death and carnage that had unfolded in front of him. The power-hungry Saiyan couldn't help but smirk at his newly acquired power. Never before in his life had he ever felt so much power pulsating in his body, begging to be unleashed indiscriminately. It was amazing how much could change in two months; he had been a different person before going to Earth to retrieve Kakarot. What a weakling he'd been back then! His strength had nearly quadrupled in the three months since then, and now his days as one of the weakest members of the Planet Trade Organization were light-years behind him!

The long haired saiyan was torn from his thoughts as a beep rang through his ears, courtesy of the scouter that was attached to his temples. Casting a glance down at the shoddy piece of technology, the lanky saiyan was stopped dead in his tracks as his pupils widened at the data displayed on the scouter's green-tinted lens. According to the normally unreliable device, there were at least three new power levels behind him that had popped up out of nowhere. Chalking up the reading as a misnomer, Raditz just assumed that the machine was malfunctioning again because he had just flown over that area.

Whipping his body around to deal with this possible threat, the Saiyan warrior was stunned to see three figures hovering above the barren wasteland that had once been a thriving hub of Yardrat life.

_"How did I miss them!?" _muttered an exasperated Raditz aloud in his own mind._"They don't have low power levels, so the scouter should have picked them up! It's not like they could have just appeared here!" _Growling from his displeasure, the low-class Saiyan warrior blasted off towards the mysterious newcomers.

Seconds ticked by as Raditz encroached closer and closer still on the territory of these natives warrior, his anger at missing these beings in his original scan driving him to fly at an incredibly fast clip. These rather ugly souls were going to pay for deceiving him.

Yardratians possessed a physiognomy that was humanoid like in terms of appearance. All Yardratians were saddled with two arms, legs, and a round head at birth. Their figures reminded Raditz slightly of another one of Frieza's elite soldiers—a really deplorable sycophant that went by the name of Cui. They possessed a similar leathery, colored skin and fish-like appearances. Granted, Yardratian's eyes were narrower than the squid-like soldier's and their heads were larger with bigger, pointer ears. Of the three before the Saiyan, two were a pinkish color; the other green in color.

What stuck out most to the lanky Saiyan was the forlorn look on each of their coutenances as they gaped down at the flattened landscape that was once there capital. Usually only Nappa or Vegeta were able to get those sorts of looks, but those days were ending quickly. Now Raditz was beginning to become able to invoke a similar feeling of terror in the hearts of his opponents. It was truly an exhilarating feeling for the low-class warrior, whom was becoming used to being disrespected.

Halting a few meters behind the trio of Yardratians, Raditz smirked as their shared grimaces of hate, grief and anger was plastered on their faces.

"Did you do this to our people?" demanded the green one, while his two pink compadres merely glared daggers into Bardock's eldest son. Clearly, the green colored Yardrat was the leader of this motley crew.

"You know, I think I did," confessed Raditz, laughing obnoxiously before raising his hand to check the trio's power levels. "What! Are you here to punish me? HA! You're each barely over 500! You couldn't hurt me even if I gave you a clear shot!"

"You will pay for your crimes, you demon!" shouted one of the pink aliens, white nimbuses of fire beginning to outline their figures and shimmer around the three humanoids. Raditz's eyebrows arched in surprise as each of the inhabitants of Yardrats' power levels began to rapidly increase.

_It seems that they have the same ability that Kakarot and the green one back on Earth did,'_thought Raditz. _'They can hide their true fighting power and raise it at will as well._

Finally, the white glow that had surrounded the Yardrats simmered down, the trio furiously scowling at their assailant. Raditz remained unfazed by their intimidating glares of menace and fury. What could it possibly matter? The Saiyans were the highest breed of warrior; the epitome of strength itself. Just to demoralize them before their deaths, Raditz tapped the blood-red button on his scouter. The familiar beeping sound was the only thing that could be heard for miles.

"It seems you all are still only at 1,500 each," commented Raditz with a sneer, his smug attitude never faltering. "You're still no match for a Saiyan warrior of my caliber."

With synchronized battle cries, the triad rushed the cocky Saiyan. The two pink warriors aimed kicks at Raditz's neck and mid-section while the green one attempted to punch the saiyan square in the face. Keeping his virulently cocky smirk glued to his face, the long-haired saiyan calmly lifted his arm to block the kick racing towards his neck, while used his own knee to deflect the boot aimed at his abdomen and catching the fist that was intended for his face all in one fluid motion.

"Really now, I expected better from you all," taunted Raditz, letting loose a fierce shout punctuated by a vast wave of translucent ki that propelled the Yardrats away from his body.

Taking advantage of the disoriented stances of the natives, Raditz phased in front of the green one and delivered a powerful right hook, propelling the opposing warrior through the yellow sky of Planet Yardrat.

Pivoting on the left ball of his foot to face the remaining two avengers, the lanky Saiyan charged them with a ferocious yell. By this time, the two pink aliens had also regained their composure and they too dashed forward to meet Raditz head on.

The three clashed in the sky with a loud boom echoing through the terrain below as their battle recommenced. Each fighter moved at super-sonic speed as they exchanged blows with each other, with Raditz dishing out more hits than he received, regardless of the fac that he was outnumbered.

Acting swiftly, Raditz broke their entanglement by delivering a devastating upper-cut under the chin of one of the pink ones, sending the stunned warrior careening through the sky. Using his forward momentum to his advantage, the Saiyan warrior rotated around and drove his boot into the remaining Yardrat's stomach. A swift kick found the Yardrat spinning to Raditz's left.

"Hyaa!" shouted Raditz as he fired a quickly generated bolt of energy from his left palm towards the Yardratian. The soldier in question performed a back-flip to stabilize himself in mid-air, recognizing the Saiyan's energy nearing him with every second. In a quick act of defense, the native touched two fingers to his forehead.

To Raditz's surprise, his blast never made contact. It continued to fly through the sky as it failed to connect with its intended target until it finally hit a mountain off in the horizon. Upon impact, the energy exploded with enormous force, completely obliterating the mountain and casting a purple hue on the backdrop of the battle for a few seconds.

_How did he dodge that?_Raditz asked himself. _'That blast was nearly on him! There's no way he's that fast!_

The Saiyan was jerked from his thoughts, however, when he felt something grab hold of his glorious mane and tug on it violently. Raditz roared with rage as he turned around to see that the green Yardrat had returned and somehow appeared behind him.

'_How did he get back there!?'_ raged Raditz as the native—still with his grip on the saiyan's hair— yanked him backwards, while cocking his fist in preparation to give the evil Saiyan a powerful blow to the spine, which when released forced Goku's brother to grunt in pain.

"NO ONE TOUCHES MY HAIR!" bellowed the prideful Saiyan, thrusting his elbow backwards at an upwards angle to firmly connect with the leader's chin. The sickening crack of the attack was like music to his ears; the Saiyan could feel his adversaries bone shatter into shards.

Using the Yardratian's grip on his hair as momentum, Raditz spun on his heel to deliver a spinning head-kick to the green Yardrat's chin, which sent the Yardrat reeling backwards, causing him to release his grip on the Saiyan's mane.

With another primal shout, Raditz pressed his attack; with a snap of his leg, he lifted his foot directly underneath the green alien's chin. The force of the blow propelled the Yardrat's chin upward, exposing his stomach; the lanky Saiyan took full opportunity of this by lodging his fist into the native's sternum. After hurling the defenseless fighter up into the air, Raditz drew back his right palm and slammed it into the Yardratian's shoulder, while beginning to gather energy for his signature attack in his other palm.

"Here's a present!" he screamed malevolently as he launched his Saturday Crush at the dazed form of the native defender. The purple orb skyrocketed spiraled high into the air, locked on to its target. The greenYardrat didn't even know what hit him when that powerful energy sphere collided with him.

A giant explosion lit up the sky as his signature energy attack made contact with its intended destination; dark clouds of smoke and debris littered the atmosphere above the Saiyan, almost signaling to Raditz the ominous end to the hostile engagement.

The long-haired fighter found himself unable to contain his evil grin of terror when his eyes locked onto the remaining fighters' fear.

"Don't fret." Raditz tapped the side of his scouter, multiple numerals flashing in front of his left eye as the machine processed the two aliens' power levels. However, this scan was mainly to ensure that the green Yardratian had truly perished; he wouldn't take any chances—not when they'd been able to appear so suddenly.

After the machine confirmed the existence of only two other power levels in his vicinity, Raditz turned to see that the two pink Yardrats had regrouped from their loss. The first of the pair rushed forward with a high punch; the other came dashing towards his opponent with the intention of a chop-block.

Raditz met up with the former, matching his blow with little effort; relishing his adversary's hopelessness as he slowly began to crush his foes sanguine hand with a mad cackle.

Noticing the other flushed-skinned creature rushing to intercept his attack, Raditz used his free hand to fire a one-handed Double Sunday. But to the Saiyan's surprise, the native pressed two fingers to his forehead and vanished once again.

_Just what is this trick of theirs?!_muttered Raditz internally. _They continuously find ways of dodging my attacks when they don't have enough speed to do it under their own power!_

Raditz was brought back to reality when the previously-vanished alien appeared behind the low-class, swinging his left leg to connect with the Saiyan's flank. More from surprise than pain, the low-class released his grip on the other Yardratian, whom used this unforeseen opportunity to deliver a forearm blow to Raditz's cranium.

Suddenly, the lanky Saiyan ducked the next series of blows, letting the Yardratians passing over him and strike at each other. Capitalizing on this opening, Raditz leapt up and thrust his legs backwards at both of their ribcages.

All of a sudden, the Yardrat who'd been forced back by Raditz was sent plummeting into a pillar as an armored boot came crashing down into his temple, caving in the pink figher's skull in the process. However, this finishing blow wasn't courtesy of Raditz, but his brother Goku.

Taking advantage of the last Yardrat's shock, Raditz quickly phased behind him and grabbed his foes neck and twisted it violently. After hearing the satisfying sound his enemies neck being broken, the long haired Saiyan simply let go of the lifeless body in his arms. By the time the Yardratian hit the ground, the poor soul was already dead.

"I didn't need your help Kakarot," growled Raditz at his brother. "I could have taken all three of them with no qualms whatsoever."

"Like I was going to let you have all the fun Raditz," retorted Goku, smirking contently at his miffed brother. "Those three were the only power levels my scouter could find in this vicinity; a true Saiyan wouldn't pass up the opportunity to kill."

Raditz opened his mouth to snap back at his brother, but precisely at that moment, he and Goku were sent flying towards the ground from an unknown assailant. The Saiyan siblings were forced into the barren wasteland that Raditz had created; a loud BBBRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHH H signaled their meeting with the cold ground.

Goku shook his head as he tried to orientate himself after standing up. "What just…"

"Happened…" Raditz finished for him. "I didn't even see them! There's no way that a stinking Yardrat could've possibly moved fast enough to catch us off guard!"

"I believe you two are referring to me."

The Yardrat that had descended to the ground was far more muscular than the previous natives, possessing a blue coloration as opposed to the pink and green of his fellow comrades. His voice also seemed more hardened and ruthless than the rather tenor voices of the normal Yardrat.

Raditz crossed his arms. "Well, I'll be; someone with actual strength on this planet. Perhaps you'll give me a good warm-up."

"I shall not forgive you for the death of my people." His icy stare was fierce and intrinsically intimidating. Unlike his compatriots, both of the Saiyan siblings knew that his words carried a great deal of weight.

"Well, let's see what this guy is really made of," smirked Goku as he tapped his scouter, watching in amusement as the numbers lit up his blue-tinted eye. "Then we can make him pay for the little stunt he just pulled."

Raditz glanced at his brother. "Goku, what does his power level read at?"

Glancing at his scouter, Goku growled in both disbelief and shock. "It's… it's over 19,000!" He promptly took the scouter in hand and crushed it with a snarl.

"OVER 19,000?! That's impossible! It can't be right!" exclaimed Raditz. "How does Frieza expect us to defeat someone like that!?"

"That must be why Zarbon is here," grumbled Goku, hating to admit that the teal alien was stronger than him. However, it was the truth—Goku vowed he'd settle the score with Zarbon one day.

As if on cue, Frieza's right hand man rocketed towards the battlefield, encased in a majestic blue aura. Soba looked up into the sky, wanting to see exactly what kind of fighter Zarbon was. Maybe he would be worth his time.

Goku began to float back up into the sky with his older brother following close behind him.

"So you're the threat that Frieza warned me about." Goku heard the cyan-skinned alien saying as he arrived at the stand-off between Zarbon and the powerful Yardrat.

"I am Soba," replied the Yardrat in a smooth and calm voice. "I am the protector of my people; I will avenge the deaths that you and your comrades are responsible for. None of you will be leaving here alive."

Zarbon merely brushed his hair back over his shoulder and laughed. "We'll see about that."

Then, faster than either Goku or Raditz could decipher, the two warriors lunged forward with pulsing blue auras, shockwaves erupting around the area as the battle for Yardrat commenced.

* * *

Piccolo stared up at his former companion with a dual look of horror and disbelief_. He's… he's just like his uncle… only more powerful!_

"GGGGGRRRRRRRRROOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

Reacting on instinct, Piccolo dashed off the pillar he was standing on before Gohan's colossally large fist slammed into the monolith, reducing the pristine rock formation into splinters and fragments. Continuing his instinctual action, the Namekian released a volley of weak ki blasts at his enraged opponent, using the smoke to retreat away from the Oozaru. Unfortunately for Piccolo, his ki blasts did no damage whatsoever and the smoke that was produced didn't obscure the ape's line of sight. If he didn't act quickly, he was going to end up like the cascade of boulders that Gohan was whacking around.

"This is insane…" Piccolo muttered, cursing his bad luck with a particular ferocity. "At this rate, Raditz and the other Saiyans won't even have a planet to destroy when they come back here!"

"GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAHHH!"

Gohan swung his enlarged leg at the Namekian, forcing the aforementioned warrior to quickly spin himself to the right to avoid the Ape's reckless attack. Deciding to risk it all, Piccolo rushed forward with a heel kick to the sternum of the Oozaru.

The furry-tailed ape simply batted his hand to the side and sent Piccolo careening into a jagged cliff almost a mile away. Not letting his green foe escape again, the enraged monkey immediately fired another purple beam into the same cliff he propelled Piccolo into.

Swiftly moving, Piccolo latched his arms into the cliff behind him and performed a nimble back-flip, using his momentum to ascend into the sky while the area below was decimated by Gohan's blast.

Interestingly enough, Piccolo was starting to note that he didn't appear to be Gohan's real target—in fact, it was as if the Saiyan treated him like he was non-existent. Maybe there was more to this monkey then meets the eye.

The Namekian was puzzled by Gohan's wild behavior. Raditz had no problems controlling this enormous form; what was preventing Gohan from accomplishing the same thing? Regardless, there had to be a weakness—everything had one. But just where was this weakness, and would he have to harm his charge to exploit this flaw.

Deep inside though, he was wondering if he had the heart to maim or kill his charge if push came to shove. Even though he treated the kid scornfully, the Demon King did enjoy Gohan's company. While he was bother at times, Piccolo could understand what the young hybrid was going through. He never knew his father; Goku had taken that opportunity from him when he was a mere child. Quite frankly, it was the reason why he still wanted to shank Goku to this day.

But then again, his father's death was responsible for his creation. Without King Piccolo's imminent demise, he wouldn't have been born at all. No morning sun to rise too, no tranquil waterfall meditate under. Life would've been a complete mystery to him; a plane of reality he would never get the chance to experience without that infuriating Saiyan. If Goku came back here and now, would he try to kill him or would he shake his hand and thank him. Piccolo really didn't know.

"GGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOH !"

Gohan's loud, primal roar snapped Piccolo out of his daze just in time to duck out of the way of another pink mouth blast.

"Gohan, just calm yourself down!" Piccolo bellowed, firing three energy blasts at his pupil. Alas, the weak attacks simply bounced off of the hybrid Great Ape, whom was growling with displeasure as the beast swiped his obese hands at a plethora of trees.

With Gohan's attention completely focused on destroying the surrounding area, Piccolo spotted an opening in the Ape's armor. Choosing to capitalize on this flaw immediately, Piccolo rushed forward, arm outstretched as he fired a thin, golden layered beam that forced its way into Gohan's eye, ripping through the Monkey's eye.

_Now!_ Piccolo screamed, dashing forward with a knee strike that made direct contact with Gohan's maw, causing the monkey to cover its nostrils as the monkey stumbled backwards. Dashing around to the Ape's backside, Piccolo climbed upwards and charged his signature attack.

"BEAM CANNON!" the green warrior screamed, relinquishing his hold on his trademark ki beam. and let the vast spiraling beam collided into the Great Ape's back, lifting the Ape into the air.

Piccolo retreated into the air, his white aura enveloping his figure while he waited for the precise moment to strike at his massive opponent once again.

Swiftly acting on the first possible opportunity, Piccolo dove down and tucked his right leg to his side as his left leg made perfect contact with the beast's foramen magnum, sending Gohan's enlarged form down into the ground with a loud TTTHHUUUUDDD.

Piccolo extinguished his translucent aura with a heavy sigh, landing on a cliffside with a gentle TUP; a far cry to Gohan's heavy and ungraceful landing.

After silently scrutinizing Gohan's fallen form for ten dead-silent moments, Piccolo deduced that he'd at least ended the fight for the moment; there'd be no telling of how the fight would fare during the Namekian's next round with the beast.

Time was of the essence. Piccolo knew that he had at most a few more moments before Gohan would regain consciousness; he needed to end this quickly, lest he run out of stamina.

Quickly, Piccolo's irises darted around the area, scouting for any potential trigger to his pupil's transformation. Rocks, no. Fallen mountain sides, no. It seemed that nothing could've really triggered his transformation.

* * *

_Capitalising on his opportunity, Raditz generated a small ball of energy and fired it into the sky with all his might._

_Piccolo smirked menacingly at the long-haired warrior. "I'm down here, you know… or have my attacks destroyed your eyesight?" Closing his palms, Piccolo began to summon up his power for one last attack. "I'll be putting you to sleep permanently! No more games!"_

_Suddenly, Raditz's eye pupils faded to nothingness; his body twitched violently as the primal beast within began to take over. However, his superior control of the transformation allowed him to stay in control as his body grew vastly bigger, his eyes becoming a deep red color. His skin began to turn a deep brown as his teeth elongated into vicious fangs, his malicious laughter becoming far deeper and darker than ever before. The Saiyan's sheer power completely smashed his scouter—leaving its remains to be deposited by the wind._

_With a roar worthy of that of a Great Ape, Raditz had completed the ascension to his Oozaru form._

_"Hahahaha!" growled the baritone voice of Raditz's new form. "How do you like me now, green man? Think your piercing beam will be able to cut through my Oozaru state?!"_

* * *

The Namekian silently gaped as his highly intelligent brain began to connect the dots. "A moon!" _Raditz wasn't able to transform without the use of a sphere… and the moon…_

Pivoting on his heel, Piccolo gazed into the star-lit sky to stare at the round, lunar-radiating object known as the moon; its bright, illuminating gaze lighting up the night.

"Grrr…"

Piccolo knew that the Great Ape was emerging from its forced slumber; he didn't have time to analyze the situation. Suddenly, he thrust his arm forward and fired a yellow streak of energy at the small object rotating the Earth.

However, Piccolo had made a grievous miscalculation regarding the moon. While the reflecting object of the sun's light was very much destroyable, it was extremely sturdy; it wouldn't collapse unless its center was struck by a powerful blast. What was the problem? Surely Piccolo's blasts would be more than powerful enough to eradicate the moon.

The fault with Piccolo's plan was that—however small—the Earth slowly rotated, its center constantly shifted because of this. Therefore, Piccolo was unable to gain a clear shot.

THUMP. THUMP.

"GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Piccolo turned around with a desperate growl. What was he to do? He heavily doubted that there was any way to knock Gohan down again long enough for him to pull off another attack on the moon; it had taken nearly his full power to even pull it off the first time.

As if it were out of a storybook, two pairs of boots connected with the Great Ape's maw. While they didn't do much more then force Gohan back a few large steps, both Krillin and Yamcha were prepared to fight to the death.

* * *

Vegeta let loose a fierce battle cry as he dashed towards the charging figure of Turles. The two Saiyan warriors' fists collided with each other, becoming the epicenter of a powerful sonic boom that rang across the desolate surface of Delos. The force of the collision caused typhoon like winds to sweep outwards from the clash and the whirlwind caused the saiyan's hair to whip wildly around their faces.

Disengaging from the low-class saiyan, Vegeta threw himself backwards and fired a small ki blast, targeting Turles' face. The space pirate batted the sphere of energy effortlessly, but when he looked back up the saiyan prince had disappeared from sight.

Turles glanced down at the blood-red grounds of Delos; he looked upwards at the bright purple sky—the Saiyan even glanced at the yellow waters of the planet. It seemed Vegeta had fled.

"So, the Prince of all Saiyans is running away!" exclaimed Turles as he glanced down at his scouter in an attempt to pinpoint Vegeta's current location. "I knew you were a coward! Oh, if the saiyan race had survived to see their prince running scared from a low-class warrior! Your father would be…"

The doppelganger's monologue was interrupted by a kick to his temple that sent him crashing into the side of a nearby blue mountain. The pillar of rock came cascading down as the Saiyan that had just been lodged firmly inside had caused the foundation to become unstable and the once proud mountain was reduced to a pile of rubble.

"What was that all about me running away?" taunted Vegeta. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you; sound doesn't travel that well through a mountain of rock!"

As the flame-haired saiyan laughed over his downed foe, purple beams of light began to escape from the cracks of rubble. Ceasing his laughter, Vegeta could hear a ferocious roar coming from underneath the debris as a powerful explosive wave obliterated the stone that had covered the former Saiyan scrub; Turles emerged from the debris with a fierce expression as he charged the flame-haired Saiyan with all his might.

"You will pay for that, Vegeta!" screamed an enraged Turles.

"Ah ah ah," taunted Vegeta as he wagged his finger at the space pirate. "That's _Prince_ Vegeta to you, you low-class scum."

With a howl of rage, Turles neared the flame-haired Saiyan and thrust his arm forward, re-engaging in combat with the Saiyan Prince. He attempted to remove the prince's arrogant head with a powerful left hook, but Vegeta simply ducked underneath the punch and rammed his fist into Turles' exposed stomach.

Doubling over in pain and coughing up blood, Turles managed to regain his composure and quickly lift his knee in a vicious knee strike to Vegeta's face. The prince was sent reeling backwards, blood flowing freely from his nose as he struggled to regain his balance in the air.

Taking advantage of Vegeta's disoriented state; Turles charged forward and managed to connect with two punches to the prince's mid-section before Vegeta regained his composure. Blocking the third class saiyan's next punch, Vegeta twisted his arm before executing a direct kick to the solar plexus.

The well-placed kick knocked the wind out of the other saiyan and Vegeta—still holding onto Turles' arm—quickly sprung up and delivered a devastating uppercut that caught Turles underneath the chin. The Prince of All Saiyans then released the wild-haired Saiyan's arm to connect with four devastating blows to the ribcage before a mighty right-handed uppercut sent Turles soaring into the air once again.

Propelled upward by the might of the blow, Turles was helpless as Vegeta flew after him and intercepted his flight into the atmosphere. With a fervent shout, the Prince of all Saiyans brought down a bone shattering two-handed axe-handle that sent Turles freefalling back downwards toward the barren wasteland.

A pillar of debris lifted into the air as the Saiyan crash-landed on the ground; Vegeta could see that a crater had formed where his foe had fallen. Managing a smirk even as he began to pant for air, Vegeta called out, "I really hope this isn't the best you can do! This is pathetic, even for an embarrassment like you!"

As an answer to his taunts, Vegeta received a dozen large violet ki blasts that came zooming out of the cloud of debris that hung over the crash site of the doppelganger. The saiyan prince managed to evade almost the entire volley of ki blasts, but he was unable to completely dodge the last sphere as exhaustion began to overtake his muscles. The explosion from the sphere caught the prince's back ; he grimaced in pain as he felt his skin being burned as his body was thrown through the air from the force of the explosion.

Suddenly, the low class saiyan phased in front of the off balanced Vegeta. Launching a vicious right hook, Turles' smirked as his attack connected and sent the prince flying back from the way he had initially come from.

With a shout, Vegeta managed to stop his involuntary flight and regain his balance. He didn't have much time to catch his breath, however; Turles was already upon him in a spilt second. Forced onto the defensive, all Vegeta could do was block the lightning fast barrage of punches and kicks that Turles threw at him. The Prince could feel the bruises already beginning to form on his arms and legs as Turles continued to hammer away at his defensives.

Finally, after Vegeta deflected a kick aimed for his neck with his forearm, Turles managed to break through the prince's barricades to land a punch to the flame-haired saiyan's diaphragm. Vegeta spat up blood that landed on the space pirate's face as Turles howled victoriously, the blood on his face giving him a deranged look.

Turles began to pound on the Saiyan Prince's vulnerable mid-section with over a dozen vicious punches, cracks beginning to form on Vegeta's armor from the force behind the ruthless assault. Phasing behind the prince to continue his onslaught, Turles drove his elbow into his fellow saiyan's neck, simultaneously driving his knee into Vegeta's gut. The Saiyan Prince was caught between both of Turles' appendages as he bent over in pain from the potency of Turles' last attack.

While Vegeta was immobile because of the pain that was racking his body, Turles lifted up both of his hands. With an energetic war cry, he brought both down onto Vegeta's arched back and sent him on a nosedive towards the rocky surface below.

Plunging with no control of his flight, it seemed as if the Saiyan Prince was doomed to collide with the terrain below. A fierce shout filled the air and through almost sheer willpower, Vegeta managed to flip himself upright and stop his impending crash. Dust was kicked up into the air as the wind billowed around him as he skidded to a halt, hovering mere inches above the ground.

"I'm not impressed, _Princess _Vegeta," sneered Turles as his facial expression changed to one of a devious smirk. "Even as a punching bag, you're beginning to bore me."

Vegeta scowled before glaring up at the pathetic excuse for a saiyan warrior. "Mark my words, you no good space-trash, I will kill you before this day is over!"

"Now, now, settle down, princess. You'll scare our guests away with that kind of language," jeered Turles as he held his right arm out.

Naturally, Vegeta's eyes trailed over to where the space pirate had motioned to and saw three figures off on the horizon.

As Vegeta could slowly begin to make out the figures' features, the Prince could see that they seemed to be carrying a fourth person in between them. A gleam could be seen bouncing off of the seemingly unconscious man's head as he was carried towards the battlefield and Vegeta growled as he could only think of one person of who it could be.

"God damn it Nappa," snarled Vegeta. _How am I supposed to take all of them on at once?! This is madness!_

* * *

Shockwaves erupted throughout the yellow sky of Planet Yardrat as Zarbon and the protector of the planet Soba battled for the fate of this world. As far as Goku could tell, the two warriors were evenly matched so far, though it was quite apparent that Zarbon held the edge in strength. There was something though that concerned the Saiyan warrior about this Yardrat though. It just seemed so far that he wasn't concerned at all about the fact that he might lose this battle…then again, the smug confidence radiating off of Zarbon also inferred that he wasn't afraid of death.

With a final shockwave, Zarbon disengaged from the exchange of blows he and the Yardrat had been involved in.

"You cannot win this fight," stoically claimed Soba as he stared down the emerald-haired warrior.

"Is that a fact?" smirked Zarbon, rotating his head slightly to move his ponytail behind his ear. "You may have a few tricks up your sleeve, but your power simply pales in comparison to that of Lord Frieza's top henchman.

"I wanted to see how descent of a fighter you were," stated Soba. "I knew that your allies were no match for me; I simply wished to test your skill. You seem to be rusty and out of practice; your unsharpened skills will be your downfall in this fight."

"Oh, and why is that?" questioned Zarbon, amused by the Yardrat's confidence."Enlighten me; as a grunt, I'm obviously out of sync with clever quips."

"Because I've been holding back!" exclaimed the defender of his people as a white aura exploded around him, his stoic tone changing to an angry warrior/

The beeping of scouters could be heard as the power level of Soba skyrocketed. Zarbon and Raditz's eyes both widened in horror as the number kept on rising. 25,000. 28,000. 30,000! Finally, the devices on their ears couldn't take the amount of energy that was being put out by the blue Yardrat, each of their scouters exploded simultaneously of power overload.

"What… what's his power level?" Goku asked—he hadn't a scouter to measure Soba's true power with.

"Still rising… still rising! 30,000 and rising!"

Goku's eyes were locked in fear; 30,000 was far more than anything even Zarbon could handle. Was he doomed to die here? If so, he would at least watch Zarbon's dying breath with a crazed smirk. Judging from Zarbon's reaction to Soba's power level, it seemed as if Goku's prediction was likely to happen. The saiyan from Earth could see the panic in the teal man's eyes as Soba finally finished powering-up. The white aura disappeared, yet a white hue shimmered around the super-powered Yardrat as he stared down the horrified Zarbon.

"This ends now," he stated before raising two fingers to his head; he simply vanished into thin air.

Raising his eyebrows, Goku watched as Soba suddenly appeared behind the confused Zarbon and hammered his fist into the teal alien's back.

Coughing up blood as his back was forcibly arched because of the Yardrat's fist, the teal alien glared daggers of hatred at his foe. It was uncommon for Frieza's right hand man to be so outclassed like this. Never before had an opponent moved so fast that he couldn't even track his movements!

Pressing his advantage, Soba phased in front of the emerald-haired man and proceeded to begin thrashing him. Zarbon's body was whipped around like he was no more than a rag doll by the lightning fast blows that the Yardrat was dishing out to him. Goku and Raditz could not even see the native's limbs as he attacked their superior with bone breaking power behind every attack.

Zarbon's beating was ended when his opponent kicked him and sent him barreling towards the two saiyans. Before Goku even had time to react, the cyan-skinned alien had slammed into his chest and as an involuntary reflex, he caught Zarbon as he was forced several dozen meters backwards in the air from the force of the kick.

As soon as he realized that he had caught his repulsive commander, Goku roughly shoved him away from his body. Goku was surprised when the emerald haired warrior didn't even react to his disrespectful behavior. Instead, his head was hung so that his hair obscured his face and his body had begun to tremble. The Saiyan wondered if Zarbon had been demoralized by the bulky Yardrat.

Suddenly, Goku could hear a small sound emit from the teal-skinne. At first Goku could have sworn that it was the sound of the alien crying; he sneered that the man was being so weak.—but as the sound grew louder and louder, Goku could hear that it was not the sound of crying-

-but of laughter.

Zarbon stood up straight again as his laughter reached its peak an

"It seems that Frieza was right, there is an incredibly powerful warrior that resides here," said Zarbon after he stopped laughing. He raised one of his hands up and wiped away the trail of dark blue blood that had covered his chin up to the corner of his mouth. "I haven't been forced to do this in quite some time, but to deal with an individual like yourself… I see that I have no choice. You've called upon me to release the beast within!"

As Zarbon finished his speech, his muscles suddenly bulked up wildly, as did his form. His arms, legs, and chest were now almost twice their normal size and the teal alien's usually elegant and perfect face suddenly elongated; his usually smooth skin transformed into hardened scales—Zarbon had truly become a monster.

His transformation completely, the now grotesque and brutal Zarbon lowered his head and glared at Soba before saying in his now rough and hoarse voice, "Time for round two, fish-boy!"

Racing forward, Zarbon was able to insert his fist into the Yardrat's stomach before the two saiyans even know what had happened and before Soba could react. Then, while the native was doubled over in pain, the now monstrous warrior performed a front flip before bringing his legs down atop Soba's back.

The defender of Yardrat was sent spiraling down towards the ground from the attack; Zarbon smirked with a mad gleam in his eyes as he raised his right arm—bracing it with his opposite hand— and fired his signature attack, the Elegant Blaster.

A giant orange ki wave shot out of the monster's palm and raced towards the prone figure of Soba as he fell towards the ground. The orange ki consumed the falling Yardrat and continued onward until it made contact with the ground, upon which it exploded. The sheer power of the blast caused hurricane-like winds, whipping Zarbon's hair wildly as his gruff laughter echoed through the dead chasm of a planet.

After being forced to turn away because of the brightness, Goku and Raditz both looked once the light had died down to see a giant mushroom-shaped cloud had illuminated the yellow skies of Yardrat.

"Ha, that bastard's history!" triumphantly shouted Zarbon.

"Not quite." Zarbon, Goku, and Raditz all whipped their heads over to see that not only was Soba alive and hovering only a few mere feet away from them, but that he was also completely unharmed by Zarbon's attack. It almost appeared as if he'd simply spirited away from the blast…

"How are you still alive?" demanded Zarbon, his fangs barred his he growled at his foe. "There's no way you could have dodged my attack!"

"We all have our own secret techniques, invader," calmly stated the Yardrat. "Now I must defeat you, for my people."

"I am getting tired of your self-righteous ass!" snarled Zarbon he as pounced on Soba, attempting to level the Yardrat with a powerful right hook. Lifting his forearm, Soba was able to block the oncoming blow with little effort.

With another growl escaping from Zarbon, the two blue warriors again vanished from Goku and Raditz's sight. The only evidence that the saiyan siblings could see of the epic clash was of the shockwaves and subsequent booms that followed Zarbon and Soba's clash in the yellow sky of Yardrat.

* * *

Vegeta snarled as the three men who were carrying his bodyguard landed beneath Turles and roughly tossed the giant saiyan onto the ground. One was a big brute, similar in build to Nappa only tanner and with long red hair that was braided into a ponytail, in a similar fashion as Zarbon's.

The second was also humanoid in appearance, but he looked like a punk to the Saiyan prince. The pale man had dark-green hair which was loosely pulled back into a ponytail and also adorned earrings and a jeweled necklace. Vegeta scoffed at the man's slightly effeminate look; so far Turles' gang looked like a bunch of Zarbon want-to-bees.

The third member of the little triad did not fit that description at all, however. The being was comprised of red, magma-like skin that had metallic armor over it, suggesting that this creature was in fact a cyborg. Judging from its design, Vegeta assumed it had been made on Planet Ikonda, which specialized in creating the most state of the art fighting machines.

"Look what we found boss," said the muscular one as he nodded to the unconscious Saiyan warrior at his feet. "It seems that this one managed to take out Rasin and Lakasei, so we decided that it would be appropriate for you to decide his fate."

Turles placed his hand underneath his chin as he mockingly pretended to stroke a goatee like Vegeta's father had once done. A growl escaped from the royal Saiyan's lips. That low-level bastard had no right to mock the last King of All Saiyans. Vegeta planned on making him pay dearly for the egregious insult to his family and its honor.

"I know!" exclaimed Turles with a devious smirk on his face as he descended from the sky and landed in front of his gang. "Let's make it a game! Vegeta, I will release this ogre you call a comrade if you manage to defeat my men here. Boys, whichever one of you manages to finish off Vegeta will also get to kill this buffoon."

"I'm not here to play games!" bellowed the Saiyan prince. "I'm not going to fight your worthless lackeys here, I wouldn't demean myself so much to fight the henchmen of a third-class saiyan like you. This is our fight, and I intend to finish it here and now!"

"Well than YOUR lackey is going to die, Vegeta!" stated Turles as he began to gather energy into his hand before pointing it towards the giant saiyan's inanimate body. "You wouldn't want that, now would you?"

"Go ahead and finish him off," spat Vegeta. "It's his own damn fault for getting himself into this situation. He was too weak, and if he isn't strong enough to beat worthless pinions like those three clowns; he doesn't deserve to be my comrade!"

Vegeta could see that his enemies were all slightly taken aback by his declaration. It was not every day that they ran into someone with such disregard for their allies' lives.

"Well, I've decided to let him live a little bit longer," said Turles, shocked that his opponent held no regard for his friend. He let the energy in his hand die down, thinking of another way to anger Vegeta. "I suppose I'd like to see the little game I have devised come to fruition after all. Amond, Daiz, Cacao, you all know what to do. The prize is still the same for the winner and the rules are…well, there are no rules."

Bending down, the space pirate picked up Nappa and slung him over his shoulders. "I will be waiting back at the ship for the winner. Until we meet again, princess or you know…not."

Howling with laughter, Turles took to the sky and with Nappa draped around his shoulders as he proceeded back to his ship. Snarling, Vegeta quickly sprung after the fleeing figure.

"I'm not through with you yet, you coward!" the prince roared as he soared through the air after his enemy. His flight was halted though as Daiz and Cacao intercepted him and swiftly lifted their knees into Vegeta's gut. Doubled over from the force of the dual attack, the Saiyan was defenseless as Amond appeared above him and delivered a mighty two-handed blow that sent Vegeta crashing back down to the rocky terrain, a pillar of debris rising into the air as he met with the brutal terrain his landing.

The Saiyan warrior bounced back quickly though, and flew out of the small crater his body had created to rejoin the remainder of Turles' Crusher Corps in the sky.

Spitting out a clot of blood, Vegeta smirked at the three flunkies before saying, "So it seems you three misfit minions have a death wish; I'd be happy to oblige you."

"The only one that's going to die here is you!" screamed the punk—known as Daiz— as he charged forward with his fist pulled back as he prepared to strike the Saiyan Prince in the face. To the dark green haired man's surprise, however, Vegeta was able to catch his attack with ease.

"Oh, is that a fact?" taunted the flame haired Saiyan before snapping back Daiz's hand, the sound of breaking bone permeating through the air. While his opponent howled in pain, Vegeta promptly drove his knee into his opponent's abdomen. The shrieks of suffering ceased, as Daiz held his mouth agape, unable to even summon a grunt because of the immense pain his body was being subjugated to from Vegeta's blow.

Grabbing the doubled over man's long hair, Vegeta began to revolve the man around before finally releasing his grip and throwing Daiz skyward. Thrusting his right arm upward, with his index and middle finger extended, the saiyan prince ignited a huge, pinkish explosion right where the barrel rolling minion was in the sky.

The explosion was so powerful that even though it had exploded in the upper part of the atmosphere, that Vegeta and the remaining two Crusher Corps members were blown back slightly by the powerful winds originating from the blast. The smoke caused by the attack was so great that it actually blotted out the Delos' sun so that the only light that shown down on the battlefield was the pink rays emitted from the detonation.

Turning to face the other two minions, Vegeta gave them a smug smirk before saying, "Nice fireworks, huh?"

His smirk grew bigger as he heard the brute growl at him, "Alright tough guy, it's time for you to go down. Cacao, lets teach this guy not to miss with the Crusher Corps!" A beeping sound transmitted from the cyborg, before the duo charged the smirking Saiyan Prince.

Vegeta jumped over the metallic leg that was aimed to sweep out his legs, but he didn't anticipate Amond's fist slamming into his face. The vigor of the assault forced the Saiyan Prince back a few feet in the air, but he simply wiped his cheek with his gloved hand, grinning sadistically.

"Really, is that all you got? I guess all those muscles are just for show."

Roaring at the insult, the brute charged forward, pressing the offensive against the Saiyan Prince. Vegeta evaded all of the man's dozens of punches, scoffing the entire time at the man's clumsy and inefficient attacks. Compared to Vegeta's speed, the man seemed like he was in slow motion, giving the Saiyan ample time to avoid each jab.

His smirk disappeared, however, when Cacao rushed in from behind and drove his fist into the prince's spine. Letting out an inaudible gasp of pain because of the attack, Vegeta heard Amond shout in triumph as he drove his fist underneath the saiyan's chin and sent spiraling upwards.

It only took the Saiyan Prince a second to recuperate from the joint assault and regain his balance in the air. With a grunt, he fired a purple ki blast at each of his opponents. The red haired man and the cyborg easily evaded the spheres of energy by splitting up, each flying in the opposite direction.

The energy attacks had only been a clever ruse to isolate the Crusher Corps. Cacao soon realized this when Vegeta phased behind him and rammed his fist though his metallic armor and into his organic core. Gathering energy into the hand that was lodged inside of the cyborg's body, Vegeta fired a purple ki wave that exploded through the robotic henchmen's chest, creating a gaping hole in it. Removing his hand from the droid's torso, the flame haired Saiyan watched with satisfaction as the Cacao's body fell to the ground with a loud THHHHHAAAAAAAACK.

"You bastard!" Vegeta turned to see that the second-in-command of Turles' crew had an enraged look on his face as he raised his hand into the air. "I'm going to kill you for that!"

"By all means," mocked Vegeta with a shrug of his shoulders, "give it your best shot."

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" screamed Amond as an orange energy disk formed several inches above his outstretched palm. "Take this, you mangy mongrel!" With another infuriated battle cry, the brutish man threw his energy disk straight towards the Saiyan Prince.

Chuckling, Vegeta began to gather energy from his body until it began to boil over as the energy disk raced towards him. Finally, after gathering a sufficient amount of ki, the Saiyan released it with a fierce shout in the form of a transparent wave of ki in the direction of the energy disk. When the translucent wave and the orange energy disk met, the power of Vegeta's energy overwhelmed the disk and ejected back towards it owner.

Amond shrieked in terror as the energy disk zoomed back in his direction and before he even had time to attempt to move, the disk was already on him. The razor sharp energy cut through the muscular man's mid-section like it was butter and the two half's of Amond plummeted from the sky.

"Well, that takes care of those imbeciles," said Vegeta before turning his head in the direction that Turles had flown off in with Nappa. "Now it's time to finish taking out the trash!"

* * *

"What are you two doing here?" asked Piccolo with a growl as the two students of the Turtle School flipped over to stand beside him.

"We sensed that ungodly power coming from that thing and decided that you could use some help dealing with Gohan," responded Krillin as a ferocious roar could be heard in the background.

"How did you know it was Gohan?" questioned the surprised green warrior.

"I saw the tail when Goku brought him to Kame House," answered the bald warrior.

"And Goku transformed a couple of times when he still had his tail," added in Yamcha. "I remember when it first happened at Emperor Pilaf's…"

The scarred-faced man was interrupted as the three fighters were forced to leap into the air to avoid an enormous, furry fist that smashed down where they had been moments before.

"Not really the time to be reminiscing, Yamcha!" yelled Piccolo. "Wait, so you're saying that we can somehow remove Gohan's tail he will go back to normal?"

"That's what always happened with…Goku," said Krillin, choking up a little bit as he said his best friend's name for the first time in months. The pain of losing him and then the addition of not wanting to bring him up around Chi-Chi had made it damn-near impossible for the former monk to not have to speak of his lost friend for a long time.

Piccolo glanced at his two comrades. "Alright, I think I may have a plan. One of my attacks was able to cut through Raditz's tail beforehand, so theoretically, it should work on Gohan's as well. The only problem is that I'll need some time to charge my attack. You two will have to distract him for about five minutes while I prepare my attack."

The two humans nodded before dashing away; Piccolo bent his knees and brought two fingers up to his forehead as he began to charge his most potent attack. An orange glow began to emit from the former demon's body and sparks began to fly from his fingers as began to gather all of his energy into them.

Unfortunately for Piccolo, his pupil began to zero in him as the ape saw no other people to destroy. According to the Great Ape's logic, the tall, green man was standing there begging to be crushed. As the ape lifted its foot to stomp out the annoying Namekian once and for all, loud shouts suddenly rang out through the night.

"KAME…" Stopping the descent of its foot, the Great Ape pricked up its ears in an effort to locate the source of the sound.

"HAME…" The mighty Oozaru turned its head slightly as the harmonious chant sounded like it was coming from slightly behind its left shoulder.

"HA!" Turning its head after finally pinpointing the source of the sound, the Oozaru was met with by twin blue energy beams that smashed into the ape's face. While the attack wasn't strong enough to actually burn or even really harm the overgrown monkey, it did knocked it off balance and cause it to come crashing down into one of the nearby rock pillars.

Howling in annoyance, the ape leaped up and fired a pink energy beam from its mouth at the Kame School duo. Krillin and Yamcha both dodged to opposite sides of the ki beam and the attack exploded in the distance, razing several square miles of terrain to the ground.

Krillin quickly preformed several acrobatic flips, moving from mountain to mountain as he avoided the Giant Ape's huge fists as they reduced the pillars of rock to rubble with a single blow each. Taking to the air, Krillin managed to evade the wave of energy the Oozaru fired to obliterate everything underneath the former monk and set it aflame.

Twisting his body, Krillin fired several ki blasts at the mammoth sized gorilla but his attacks were ineffective as the simply bounced off of the beast's fur. Another roar ripped from the Great Ape's throat as it thrust its hand into the air in an attempt to swat the short fighter from the sky.

Diving underneath the outstretched hand, Krillin was able to steer clear of the Oozaru's attack and he landed on to the ground with a tumble roll and began sprinting through the outcropping of rock in the wasteland, the giant monkey stomping after him.

"Hi-yaah!" Krillin looked over his shoulder to see that the black haired fighter had decided to attempt a surprise attack on the Great Ape, brandishing the scimitar back from his bandit days as he sprung through the air. He had told Krillin while they had been flying here that he had once used the sword to slice off the saiyan from Earth's tail and he figured he could do the same with Gohan.

However, this Great Ape was much stronger and faster than the one Yamcha had tangled with before. Alerted to the attack because of the man's battle cry, the colossal gorilla simply flicked his tail at the shaggy haired warrior. Yamcha didn't even have time to react and even attempt a slash at the tail as it swatted him from the air and he was sent smashing to the side of a mountain, creating several crevices in the once smooth surface.

"Idiot," mumbled Piccolo as the curved sword was flung through the air and landed only a foot away. "Maybe if he hadn't been so loud he would have gotten away with it."

"Yamcha!" shouted Krillin as he quickly pivoted and dashed towards his unconscious friend. Unfortunately for him, the Oozaru noticed him and raised its foot to stamp out the bald warrior. Diving underneath the upraised foot, Krillin managed to avoid the behemoth's paw as it crashed down onto the ground and sent tremors through the Earth.

Barrel-rolling to his fallen friend, Krillin quickly scooped up Yamcha's inanimate body and dashed into the night-sky just in time to avoid the blast that was consuming the terrain that he had just stood on.

"Special Beam Cannon!" Krillin looked down to see that the Namekian had extended his arm and fired his signature attack. The spiraling, orange energy beam exploded from Piccolo's fingertips and raced forward, its trajectory perfectly aimed to hit right at the base of the Great Ape's tail.

Unfortunately for the struggling heroes, because the monstrous monkey was attempting to bat Krillin and his comatose passenger out of the sky, the Oozaru turned at the last second right before the beam reached its target. Instead, the orange energy struck the Great Ape's thigh; he roared in pain as his fur was burnt and flesh seared because of the powerful attack.

"Damn it!" cursed Piccolo as his arms dropped and he began to pant heavily. He had put nearly every last drop ki of that he possessed into that attack, now that it had failed, the green tactician didn't see any way out of this quagmire. He, Krillin, and Yamcha would all be killed by the beast before it went on a rampage and demolished everything it came across.

Piccolo watched as the giant monkey barred its teeth at him and then unlocked its jaw. An orb of pink energy began to form as the Oozaru prepared to blast the nuisance into oblivion. Not bothering to move out of the way, Piccolo continued to pant as his lungs desperately worked to suck in more oxygen.

There was no point in moving; he barely had any strength left. Even if the Namekian did manage to dodge this attack, he would only be delaying the inevitable. Piccolo decided that it was better to get it over with now; being blown to atoms in a spilt second was a better way to bite the dust than being trampled or crushed to death later.

As Piccolo made peace with his demise, Krillin hadn't given up quite yet. He saw that the Namekian was exhausted; he knew that if they were going to have any chance of beating the Saiyans when they returned, they were going to need the green warrior.

Tossing Yamcha onto one of the nearby mountains, the former monk swiftly moved in front of the Great Ape as it continued to power up its energy attack. Raising his hands to his temple, Krillin used the one technique he knew that might by them sometime.

"SOLAR FLARE!" he screamed, a burning and searing white light racing into the Great Ape's s blood-red eyes. Howling in agony, the Oozaru raised its hands to cover its burning eyes as it stumbled backwards, though the humming from the sphere of energy in its mouth remained.

Luckily for Piccolo's eyesight, he was far enough away from the technique that he was unaffected by its blinding light. Krillin's actions, however, had given the Namekian a second wind to the usually stoic warrior. Seizing the opportunity that the bald fighter had provided him, Piccolo yanked the scimitar from where it been lodged into the ground and sprinted forward.

"Good work, Krillin!" he shouted to his ally as he darted past the rock pillar that the Turtle School student had landed on. Exhausted, the short man collapsed and took in deep breaths as the Namekian rushed through the reeling backwards Oozaru.

Leaping upward, Piccolo positioned himself directly over the enormous tail and with a fierce shout he swung down the sword with every ounce of strength he possessed. A smirk emerged on his face as he felt the blade slice through the fur and muscle and Piccolo's feet touched the ground simultaneously with the giant tail crashing down and shaking the foundation of the surrounding landscape.

Opening its mouth as it felt its bodies' equilibrium change now without the giant tail to help balance it, the Great Ape began to fall forward. However, the energy it had gathered within its mouth still remained— before it fell to the ground, the mighty Oozaru gave one last ferocious roar and the pink ki blast shot forth from its mouth.

Piccolo heard the deafening explosion as part of the area to his right was obliterated by the powerful blast, but he paid it no heed, save for raising his left arm to block the bright light from entering his sclera. He was too concerned with his pupil's transformation back into his normal state to worry about the natural disaster. Piccolo raced forward and caught the small boy in his arms before he could hit the surface of the empty plains.

Gently setting the un-clothed and unconscious child onto the ground, Piccolo blasted the boy with a beam from his antennae that caused the boy's normal fighting gi—an outfit that greatly resembled Piccolo's colors— to reappear on his body. Turning around to face the rock where Krillin was sitting, Piccolo opened his mouth to inform his comrade of the boy's condition, but his triumphant look turned to one of horror as he saw a scene of a complete and total desolation before him.

* * *

_Next chapter, we delve into the events on Earth. Just what could've happened to make Piccolo be so stunned?_


	7. Chapter VII: Fall of a Hero

**Turles Saga- Part 4: Fall of a Hero**

During Tien's unconscious and unintentional ramapage with the Kaioken technique, yet another thing was razed into ashes by the destructive technique. His car had fallen, as had King Kai's house. In fact, the planet looked completely disheveled; it was hard to believe a human was capable of pulling this off.

But, indeed, it was certainly the truth - Tien had been able to accomplish this all on his own. While Tien had apologized profusely for his actions, he felt a faint surge of pride at his ability. His Kaioken mastery was near impeccable now; he figured he could destroy the planet now if he'd put all his effort into it. While that shouldn't have excited the normally stoic warrior, it delighted him that he'd made such an improvement in only three months. What would the nine months ahead offer him?

However, there was one thing he knew would be handy.

While training, Tien had discovered that there was a way to further push the Kaioken even further than what King Kai had told him—there was a second chamber of Kaioken now accessible to him. This form had presented him with an arduous task of mastering a whole new transformation; Tien only persevered through weeks and weeks of back-breaking training without rest. In fact, he figured he would've perished if possible in the Other World.

However, it was certainly paying off. With the near mastery of Kaioken's second level, the bald fighter now felt ready to take on the likes of a vastly more powerful Goku or Raditz, should such action be required. However, this knowlege only fueled his desire to train more—he knew that he couldn't rest on his laurels.

To say Tien was overjoyed with his new power was an understatement; in fact, he felt absolutely ecstatic about his progress. He never thought he would ever make such a substantial amount of progress in such a short amount of time. The shirtless warrior felt truly proud of himself that he would be able to defend his homeworld; he owed this all to Goku for his kind and innocent heart that changed the Earth forever. He knew it was his responsibility to protect what the Saiyan had involuntarily forced upon him.

Unfortunately for Tien, the planet of the North Kai's wasn't the only thing he destroyed in his outburst…

* * *

"Yes! Finally free at last!"

* * *

Gero had made a scientific breakthrough with his newest test subjects; he was sure of it. However, he had refrained from using the two twins he'd captured as his test subjects. While he knew that the end result of using the androids he was currently working on would be far weaker than the twins he had in his possession, the crazed scientist was not willing to release his highest valued project so easily. He couldn't risk his most volatile and malicious creations to be released into the world until he assured himself complete and utter destruction of the group dubbed as the Z-Fighters.

With a baritone growl, Gero slammed his head down onto his lab table in frustration. _Why?_ He mentally screamed in rage. _Why does everything come with a risk?!_ He didn't have the time or the patience to use his probes for the collection of more helium three; he'd already drained most of the moon's ample supply. It would take time for the orbiting sphere to regenerate its low rations of helium three.

_If only there were something organic that I could work with, anything at all! I wouldn't have to deal with mechanics; organics would supply more power than simple machinery!_

Suddenly—as if destined to happen—the idea hit him.

_But what if I found a way to combine them? Yes, that's it. If I can gather even further data on the fighters, I just might be able to fuse their cells together…_

Gero quickly scurried over to his main computer, letting the CLACKS of the keyboard sound like music to his ears.

When the information was all filled out on his main computer, Gero let an evil grin spread his old features. _With this new android, the Z-Fighters will never stand a chance…_

However, he realized that he'd never dubbed a name for this creation. The old man stroked his beard in thought. This project deserved a new name when compared to his mechanical creations.

His name was quickly decided; the project was to be named after its origins…

Cell.

* * *

_This can't be happening!_ Zarbon snarled as his bulky fist rocketed forwards to meet the Yardratian dead on. However, as he had done with the beast's last few barrages, Soba gracefully ducked under the teal fighter's blow, skillfully delivering a quick uppercut jab to his opponent. He then quickly dematerialized out of Zarbon's line of sight to deliver a bone-crushing kick to the monster's spine.

Hissing in pain, Zarbon turned with a sharpened claw to slash the blue-skinned warrior, but to no avail; Soba had used his mysterious technique to dart away again.

The green-haired fighter glanced to both sides, his abnormally large snout rumbling as his rage met its climax. "I WILL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"

Suddenly, Zarbon was sent spiraling to the ground by a brutal kick to the foramen magnum; he was thrust into another exchange of blows by a quick thrust-kick to the solar plexus—the right hand man of Frieza was simply being overwhelmed by the overwhelming power of Soba's fast and furious blows. Finally, Soba ended his rapid flurry of blows with a painful TTTTTHHHHUUUM to the bridge of the alien's nose; Zarbon's head snapped back from the raw power in the blow.

Once again, Soba capitalized on Zarbon's inability to match his speed and strength by warping behind him and grabbing onto his shoulders, using them as leverage to press his knees into the beast's back; the Yardrat took advantage of his positioning to deliver a vicious left hook to Zarbon's foramen magnum yet again, letting go of the bulky fighter to let him fall forwards.

Soba remained eerily still as Zarbon fell to the ground, clearly incoherent. "It is time you paid the price for slaughtering a village."

Extending his right palm, Soba created a large sphere of energy that began to hum faintly; he then flexed his palm downwards to aim directly at Zarbon's left arm.

"Farewell!"

BBBBZZZZZTTTALLLTTT!

Grabbing hold of Soba's arm, Goku let loose a loud battle cry as he pulled the Yardrat in for a vicious gut punch, its sheer intensity—coupled with the fact the blue fighter was off-guard—sending him soaring into the yellow skies.

Goku glanced at Zarbon's shuddering form as he struggled to get up; the Saiyan's eyes darting towards his hated rival.

"Listen to me! We are _not _friends, you hear me?! I need him dead—that way _I'll _be the one to kill you!" It was the closest Goku would get to a truce—he still hadn't forgotten the events that had happened on Spatios nearly three months ago.

Goku's gaze then went to the fighter in the air, arms crossed as he gazed down at the Saiyan with a mixture of rage and sorrow—he had never enjoyed to kill another. In fact he could feel some sort of purity within the young man—but alas, his heart was falling into darkness by the second.

"Come on!" shouted Goku, taking a quick fighting stance—left arm perched forward to strike, his right arm backwards in a closed fist. "Bring it!"

"As you wish."

Oddly, Soba never moved towards his target; he simply touched his index and middle fingers to his forehead before vanishing again.

Goku's eyes widened as he processed just exactly what happened. Eyes flickering around the area nervously, the Saiyan pivoted on his heel and took a battle stance yet _What i-is-_

A right handed blow from Soba sent him reeling backwards, the Yardratian in hot pursuit of the messy-haired Saiyan as he quickly skidded to a halt before performing a back-flip, creating further distance between himself and Soba.

In one quick motion, Goku pivoted on his heel, performing a spin on the ground as Soba's blazing speed struck the spot where he'd been.

"Got you!" Goku shouted, lifting his knee to strike Soba across his hamstrings, eliciting a growl from Soba as the Saiyan capitalized with a forearm smash to the arm shortly after; he soon found himself on the defensive as the Yardrat's superior speed put him at an advantage.

Goku winced as the Yardrat's bulky arm matched up with his, sparks of energy beginning to form around the two as they locked in a power struggle. Unfortunately for the Saiyan, Soba was barely exuding any effort.

"Give up." Soba applied more pressure against Goku's elbow, forcing the Saiyan to growl as he tried to use whatever strength he had remaining against his foe. However, it proved futile against the superior Yardratian. "Just accept your punishment. There's no need to drag this out.."

However, even as Goku sank to his knees in pain, he only grinned ferally. "You know… for fools like you—"

"There's only death!"

A full-powered Double Sunday rocketed out of Raditz's palms, arcing through the air towards Soba as the purple beam surged with crackling energy.

Soba released his grip on Goku as his gaze locked onto the beam. "Don't you ever learn?"

By touching two fingers to his forehead, Soba shimmered out of the area as the blast continued its way down.

"Goku!" Raditz cried as the beam struck its field of trajectory, the resulting explosion throwing up a vast dust cloud with a loud BRRGH.

* * *

The Prince wiped some blood from his lip as he angrily faced down Turles. What _was_ he? He seemed to be growing stronger with nearly every minute; his power seemed to have no limits. If allowed to keep it up, Vegeta feared that the Saiyan in front of him could become stronger than Frieza himself. The flame haired Saiyan would allow _nothing _to stand in his way of doling out punishment to Frieza in honour of his fallen Saiyans—not even a fellow Saiyan himself, much less this doppelganger before him. While he hated to resort to such tactics, Vegeta knew a way to vastly overpower Turles and crush him like the bug he was.

He opened his palm, a bright, shining sphere of energy sparkling from the Prince's glove. "It's been fun, but I have bigger things to accomplish… so I guess this is where we part ways."

Winding back his right arm, Vegeta lunged forward and hurled the ball straight into the air; he then opened his hand towards the direction of the ball. Naturally, Turles' gaze would be drawn to it—but Vegeta had thought on his feet… quite literally; the Saiyan Prince performed a front dropkick to Turles' solar plexus, sending the messy-haired fighter careening into the ground.

Now closing his fist, Vegeta hollered out, "Burst and Mix!"

Suddenly, the ball transformed into a perfect sphere; the effects taking effect instantly—Vegeta's body began to shudder violently as he laughed in a ruthless manner.

* * *

Piccolo opened his mouth to inform his comrade of the boy's condition, but his triumphant look turned to one of horror as he saw a scene of a complete and total desolation before him.

There lay Krillin, face-down in the dirt, his back charred from the all-powerful blast of Great Ape Gohan. His shoulders were caked with debris; asphalt covered almost his complete lower body as he lay motionless on the cold, hard ground.

For the first time in his eight years of life, the Namekian was in complete and utter disbelief. Words couldn't be formed at the devastating carnage; in fact, Piccolo found it even a challenge to simply move.

The Namekian glanced to the left—all fallen debris and mountain.

Piccolo glanced to the right—Yamcha lay there, unconscious from one of the Great Ape's powerful attacks.

Of course, Piccolo hadn't cared about Krillin's life; he was far from upset about the bald monk's death—he was concerned for young Gohan.

To lose a father and to kill his best friend was more than enough for someone to reach their breaking point. Piccolo didn't even want to think about what would happen when Chi-Chi found out; the Namekian knew that Krillin's assistance was the only thing helping her to live.

In that moment, Piccolo made a decision.

If he had to choose between Gohan's remaining, fragile innocence or his life, he selected his pupil's life in a heartbeat.

Therefore, Piccolo knew he would die on the day of Tien's return. Why, one would ask?

For _he_ would be known as the one who killed Krillin.

* * *

_Sorry for the decreased chapter length, but I didn't see a need for it to be so extensive. Also, sorry for this chapter(and the next) being rather weak. I assure you that Chapters 9 and 10 will rectify this issue. _


	8. Chapter VIII: Monster of the Night

**Turles Saga- Part 5: Monster of the Night**

"Haaah…haaah…haaaaaahh…"

Vegeta's body began to tremble violently as he threw his head back with a wicked laughter. "You will see… why _nobody_ messes with the Prince of All Saiyans!"

The rogue Saiyan—having fled the Planet Vegeta at such a young age—had not even the slightest idea why Vegeta was acting oddly. Of course, what he didn't know… _would _hurt him.

His chest muscles expanded first, causing the Prince's body to feel a vibrant injection of pain ring through his ribcage. Suddenly, his legs and arms expanded to the same mass to fill out his now bulky composure.

"W-What's going…" Turles gaped. Since when had Vegeta possessed the ability to bulk up in such a manner? From the look of it, Turles could assume that the flame-haired Saiyan had become stronger—perhaps even more so than him. The gruff and mighty laugh pounding through the pirate's eardrums was not helping him to think he stood any better of a chance.

Vegeta's eyelids soon dilated; they now looked like ferocious red pools of death as they stared into Turles—the latter of the two shaking in fear.

"Do you see now, low-class?! This is our people's true power! Consider it an honour you shall be slain by the mighty Oozaru!"

Fangs began to elongate out of the armoured Prince's mouth as his height grew; his ligaments and aforementioned armour growing with him. Throughout it all, Turles' look of horror and despair never faltered.

Throwing his head back, Vegeta let out a mighty roar as he completed his transformation to a Great Ape; the sound waves that shot forth from the Ape's maw forcing Turles to cross his arms as a gust of howling wind rushed past him.

Vegeta then dashed forward, intent on putting an end to his pathetic opponent once and for all.

* * *

As the smoke cleared from Raditz's devastating Double Sunday attack, Goku had vanished without a tangible trace. It was like his body had been seamlessly vaporized by the magenta-colored blast.

"Ka…Kakarot.." Raditz mumbled. He couldn't have; it wasn't possible. Had he slain his own brother? The thought of doing so spread fear throughout his being. The remote thought of his brother being lost forever frightened him beyond anything Frieza could conjure up as a beating. While he would never admit it, Raditz had grown tolerant of his brother over the past three months; perhaps he even… _cared_ for him.

Throughout Raditz's utter shock and disbelief, Soba's stoic expression never faltered; if anything, his gaze looked as if he was wistful. "Perhaps now you know how my people felt when you slaughtered them mercilessly. It would be a gift to let you and your brother reunite; would it not? Perhaps I should allow you to live as your flesh slowly rots here with the dried blood of my brethren."

Suddenly… something inside Raditz… _snapped._

A luminous aura flickered to life around the low-class Saiyan as he involuntarily powered up, a mighty gust of howling wind soaring in all directions around the battlefield and causing Raditz's hair to blow violently in the extreme current.

"I will kill you… I will exterminate you if it's the last thing I do!"

With a ferocious battle cry, Raditz dashed forward, encased in a magnificent purple aura. However, Soba was ready for the lanky Saiyan's approach; he lifted his left arm to block Raditz's incoming roundhouse kick—when suddenly, the Yardratian was slammed in the back by an axe handle, causing Raditz's kick to connect perfectly with Soba's foramen magnum; the bulky figure was sent to the left and into a fallen building.

Zarbon's golden eyes met Raditz's in a fierce glaring match; the latter's body trembling as he shook with rage. Silently, the two nodded to each other as monster and Saiyan turned to fire a combined ki blast of a deadly red hue at their foe.

* * *

Vegeta's massive fist slammed through the weak, unfertile soil of Delos; Turles just barely evaded it by dashing away at full speed. However, the pirate was unable to avoid Vegeta's backhand, sending him straight into a mountainside.

"Hahahaha!" bellowed Vegeta's baritone voice. "You thought you stood a chance against the mighty Lord Vegeta?" Think again, low-class!"

"Gah-grrr…." Turles stood, clutching his right arm with his left as he began to pant heavily. This transformation; it was unreal! Vegeta should've never been able to surpass him in the first place!

Out of absolute desperation, Turles flared his purple aura and fired a rapid barrage of energy waves that Vegeta merely deflected with a quick bat of his hand.

* * *

How he should've payed attention to the direction the blasts were forced to traverse.

* * *

The blasts arced through the sky, tearing into the artificial moon Vegeta had created to transform.

Vegeta—while stunned at his misfortune—knew there wasn't any time to waste; he had to make each of his movements count lest he let the transformation slip. Doing so would grant Turles an easy victory.

The Prince dashed forward with his new resolve, hoping to execute a fatal blow with the remaining time he had in his Great Ape form. A primal roar sounded from the Great Ape's maw as he did so, reveling in his Saiyan heritage for the short duration he could.

Alas, Vegeta was losing power by the moment; Turles was easily able to dodge by leaping into the sky and connected with a brutal roundhouse kick to the foramen magnum of the Saiyan Prince, causing the now-shrinking Ape to perch forward and fall with a loud THUD as he regressed completely back into his base form.

However, Vegeta was not one to give in so easily. Standing up and pivoting on his heel, Vegeta raised his fists for the absolute final encounter. While he knew Turles was superior to him in his current power, the Prince still had an edge in fighting technique and stamina. One thing was for sure; this battle would be one he had to be absolutely flawless in if he wished to emerge victorious.

Turles-while not in the best condition himself-was still able to stand at full height, causing him to sneer at Vegeta's trembling form. "It appears you're finally out of tricks. Shall I put an end to this game?"

Not willing to give his opponent satisfaction by allowing the pirate's words to get to him, The Prince of all Saiyans dashed forward with a shout; he caught Turles off-guard with a quick blow across the cheek. A quick barrage of punches and kicks quickly followed, of which Turles was unable to guard the bulk of.

After one last kick to the shin, Vegeta gripped his enemy's shoulder guards and promptly hurled said enemy into the skies of Delos; Vegeta performing a back-flip from the momentum he'd created from the throw itself.

Concentrating his power, Vegeta soared into the skies in a reverse-motion, bypassing Turles in a demonstration of speed.

"Haha; is that all?" Vegeta's voice was barely audible over the extreme air mass created by his power, yet his words served their purpose of angering the low-class. _This _was his destiny; having complete control over everything and everyone-he wouldn't trade it for any material possession in the world.

Suddenly, Vegeta arced in the air, diving down to drive both his extended fists into Turles' solar plexus; the messy-haired Saiyan was sent flying down to the ground from the painful blow.

The Prince landed on the ground with arms crossed, looking with a smirk at the exhausted and battered Turles; the latter tried to stand, as evidenced by his right leg being outstretched and his left tucked in. The pirate knew his efforts were futile though; Vegeta would swiftly end him in a condescending manner.

However, to his surprise, Vegeta just stood there. "Well? Aren't you going to get back up?"

The messy-haired Saiyan pushed himself up with his left hand, using his right as support on the near drained soil of Planet Delos. While his movements were shaky and slow, Vegeta remained patient; the fool had another thing coming if he thought he'd be ended so easily. A Saiyan's life was to end with a _bang, _not with a whimper-the Prince of his fallen race intended to see the Saiyan code of honour to the end.

At long last, Turles stood; Vegeta didn't miss a beat as he charged at his foe and snap-kicked him to the side, sending Turles into the dirt yet again. The Prince would go antagonistically slow; he felt it was his duty to give Turles even a sliver of Saiyan pride-even if he didn't want to respect it.

Vegeta took a step forward. Another one. Another one. Soon, he'd begun a slow walk towards Turles, preparing to demonstrate the pride of his forgotten people. _It's time he learned what a true Saiyan is._

* * *

While Vegeta took pride in his heritage and his pride, Turles did not; he fully accepted cowardice and foul play to attain victory. It was arguably the only reason a weakling like him survived in the brutal world of space.

* * *

Soba dashed upwards and backhanded both Zarbon and Raditz to either side of him, sending both monster and Saiyan into the blue grounds of Yardrat. The Yardratian targeted Raditz first; he dove down at lightning fast speeds and gripped the lanky warrior by the hair, twisting him and hurling him towards the ground; Raditz's body leapt into the air after it met with the cold grounds of Yardrat. The blue-skinned warrior dashed in for the finishing blow.

Suddenly, a figure clothed in blue and white armour materialized in front of Raditz, placing his gloved hands on Soba's abdomen and hamstrings.

"Galick Flare!"

A bright blue surge of energy shot out from Goku's palms, piercing directly through Soba's stomach and ribcage, instantly killing the Yardratian and sending him drifting to the ground.

* * *

Turles felt a grip on his hair as a knee drove into his spine, causing him to scream violently; the Prince then pressed his knee down to further break Turles' spine. While this would be relief for such a tortured soul, Turles' pride was being crushed along with his body. While he didn't hold himself to the standards of such honour and grace that Vegeta did, he shared the Prince's fighting spirit; it wouldn't allow him to submit.

Therefore, Turles felt no remorse when his right hand crossed over his left shoulder and jabbed Vegeta's left eye.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" The Prince recoiled in pain, stumbling away from Turles as he tried to calm down the pain raging in his sclera; hadn't the fool any sense of pride in his own ability?

Finding the strength to stand quickly, Turles rushed forward and gave Vegeta a mighty blow to the solar plexus, sending the Prince flying backwards. However, the Prince was able to perform a one-handed backflip to land on his feet, stumbling from the sheer pain the dirty blow had caused him.

"I don't fight for pride Vegeta; I fight to win!" Turles laughed maniacally as he fired a large blast towards Vegeta to end the battle.

It seemed the roles were reversed; Vegeta was now the one at death's door. However, unlike Turles, he took such a dire situation with the determination to persevere; his pride wouldn't allow him to give in from a cheap attack.

Removing his hand from his eye, Vegeta discovered his vision was blurry and weak in his left eye; he couldn't battle with such a weakness. Therefore, while he could've easily dodged the blast Turles had fired, he chose to take the challenge head on; it was probable he'd lose the fight if he continued to engage in close combat with the pirate.

Tilting his body to the left, Vegeta quickly charged a beam of purple energy. He knew this was it; it was all or nothing.

"Galick Gun, FIRE!"

The beams clashed with an intense light; purple faced down yellow as a WHIR set the sound for the final battle between Vegeta and Turles. However Vegeta had one thing Turles didn't:

Control.

While seemingly more powerful than the Galick Gun, Turles' attack was quite unbalanced in terms of consistent energy output; Vegeta's Galick Gun provided a pure and continuous stream of energy. Due to this, Vegeta's Galick Gun devoured Turles' blast and swallowed him whole.

* * *

When the dust finally settled, Turles was gone; out of sight. Vegeta turned around, relishing in his victory while still tending to his injured eye.

_"_V-Vegeta..."

The Prince of All Saiyans paused, not bothering to give eye-contact to the fallen warrior. "I'm impressed; you actually survived that attack. Not many people would be able to survive such an attack."

"P-please spare me..." his voice was hoarse now; a bare whisper. Turles was on death's door; there was no doubt in either Saiyan's mind that the battle was over-Vegeta had won the battle of Delos.

"Spare you? Spare you?!" The Prince turned around to finally meet Turles face to face, laughing in his face at the humour he found in the situation before him.

Before he could respond, however, another weak voice called out to him.

"V-V-Vegeta..."

Nappa could be found on the cold ground of Delos, crawling towards Vegeta with all of his remaining strength. "Please... he-help me..." he extended his hand upwards for the flame-haired Saiyan.

For a moment, the Prince stood there, stunned at the fact his comrade dared to even speak to him after his pitiful performance. However, he soon chuckled afterwards, offering his hand. Nappa promptly took it.

The Prince of all Saiyans helped up the bulky Saiyan; the latter stumbling as he tried to regain his balance.

"Nappa?" the Prince asked.

"Y-Yes, Vegeta?" responded the brute.

"You have a bit of blood there on your forehead."

"I-"

"I'll get it."

Vegeta's fist directly connected with Nappa's face, causing a loud CRUNCH to be heard as nearly every bone in his face shattered into mere shards. As he fell backwards, Nappa's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

The Saiyan General was dead.

Turning to Turles, he grinned sadistically. "I could subject you to a fate worse than Nappa's if I wished; I don't tolerate weakness. But what I _loathe _is foolishness. Therefore, you will wither away into this planet's dust; your death shall be slow and painful."

Vegeta extended two fingers and fired a beam that pierced through Turles' shoulder.

"Say hello to Nappa for me when you see him in hell."

And with that, Vegeta rocketed off into the air to return to the _living _hell: the Planet Trade Organization. However, with the way his battle power was increasing, the Prince knew it was only a matter of time until he became Lord Vegeta.

* * *

_Now, one of the big concerns with this chapter was Goku's instant killing of Soba. I'm going to ask that you politely refrain from commenting on it, because it will be elaborated upon in Chapter 13. Thanks for your readership and getting through my two most disliked chapters._


	9. Chapter IX: Macabre

**Chapter 9: Macabre**

* * *

Darkness.

Darkness claimed Krillin after Gohan's fuschia blast enveloped his body in a shining light. Oddly enough, Krillin had no fear as his body was scorched by the intense beam of energy. No, his concern lied with Chi-Chi; he felt guilty that he'd left her to fend for herself.

At last, Krillin's body released its hold on its second life, allowing the former monk to finally pass on to the Other World.

One would say that death was the end of the road for the bald monk, the close in his 'book;' so to speak.

However, Krillin's adventures were just beginning…

* * *

Fear.

Fear spread throughout the woman's being as it finally settled into her brain. Of course, life couldn't give her a break; constant reminders of her husband's departure constantly flashed throughout her mind.

However, something of this magnitude was not something Chi-Chi could ignore. Silently, she cursed the father of her child for unintentionally putting her through so much pain.

* * *

Colours dimmed Yamcha's vision as he tried to regain his consciousness, yet a fuchsia hue blasted its way into Yamcha's sclera, shutting out the blurred colours swimming around his eyesight. A high-pitched scream followed shortly after; the force of the implied explosion lifted the scar-faced warrior's body and hurled him over into a mountain of rock. Suddenly, it all slowly dimmed to black…

"Get up."

Groggily, Yamcha's left eye opened, making out a faint—yet visible—green figure, clothed in a plain white cape and a turban.

"P-Piccolo…" Yamcha hoarsely whispered. While his injuries were far from fatal, the scar-faced bandit had suffered quite the amount of damage. "H-Help…" Of course he didn't expect the Namekian to comply with his request; he was a cold-blooded killer.

However, today would be a day full of surprises.

A pickle-green hand was offered down to the fallen fighter, much to Yamcha's shock and disbelief.

"Well? Am I going to have to throw you over my shoulder? I dealt with training Gohan; I don't need another weakling who can't fight in my presence."

Yamcha immediately grasped Piccolo's hand, using it to pull himself upwards and stabilize himself. "Where's Kr-"

"He's dead," Piccolo responded, knowing the first thing on his mind. "He died an honourable death. You may be proud of your friend."

The long-haired warrior lowered his head, only for Piccolo to grip the Earthling by his hair, pulling him close to growl and knee him in the stomach. Perching over from the sheer brutality of the Namekian's attack, Yamcha let out a loud wail of pain.

"Stop whining!" Piccolo barked, hammering his left arm down on Yamcha's spine, bringing the former bandit to his knees. "We don't have the time to worry about your friend."

Groaning in pain, Yamcha mustered up the strength to lift his cranium, dazed and confused. "W-what'd you…"

"The fool tried to interfere with Gohan's training and bring him home to his pathetic mother," snarled Piccolo. "With such a pathetic power, the poor idiot stood no chance against a warrior of my caliber."

"How dare you…" the long-haired warrior rasped out. "H-he…was my friend…."

"Exactly," the Namekian smirked. "_Was _your friend. I imagine he's rotting in Hell right now."

"You sick son of a bitch!"

Ignoring the pain wracking through his body, Yamcha leapt upwards and decked Piccolo across the face with all he had in him. The punch sent the Namekian sailing through the air until he crashed through a mountain of rock.

Dashing forward, Yamcha found a new resolve to fight as he connected with a brutal chop to the Namekian's head—unfortunately, Piccolo was prepared; he saw the attack coming and raised his left arm to his forehead to block, the vibration causing the ground to rumble.

As Yamcha struggled to force the purple-clothed warrior's arm down, the aforementioned fighter let out a low chuckle. "You're going to have to do better than that, scar-face."

In one swift movement, Piccolo parried the human's arm to the side before executing a vicious knee that snapped Yamcha's head back and sent him soaring towards Krillin's fallen body.

The descendent of the Demon King then extended his palm, a malicious laughter reverberating around the barren wasteland as Piccolo charged his ki.

"Be gone!" the Namekian shouted, firing the bright yellow burst of energy at Yamcha. It raced down the battlefield, arcing through the atmosphere as it approached its moving target.

Using his relatively close proximity to the ground, Yamcha thrust his hand down into the earthy soil and dirt in an attempt to halt his involuntary flight. Alas, his feeble attempt proved worthless; the dirt simply created a trail as Yamcha's body sailed over the ground.

Suddenly, something clicked inside Yamcha's memory. He was already at the point of desperation; there was no hesitation.

"Kamehameha!"

The force of Yamcha's blast collided with the ground, sending him upwards into the air to avoid Piccolo's Explosive Demon Wave— yet the blast connected with another.

Krillin's body—while deceased—had been visible; charred. However, due to Piccolo's extraordinary power, Krillin's body now ceased to be; scattered within the whispers of the wind.

"You… you demented…"

The former malicious Namekian kept up the charade. "Well, I suppose that's the price you pay for being too cowardly to stand up to my attack. Poor Yamcha; he can't even save his _dead _ally."

In a state of pure, unrelenting rage, Yamcha pulled his hands to the side and chanted ferociously. "KA!"

Piccolo crossed his arms. "Oh, not this again… I thought we'd be done with that after Goku was taken and I…_disposed…._of Krillin."

The bandit paid him no heed. The time was now to act; such petty taunts wouldn't get to him. If anything, he took in that anger—harnessed that anger—and made it his power. He knew it was what Goku would do. "ME!"

Gusts of air began to swirl around the wasteland as Yamcha concentrated his ki into a single focal point. "HA! ME!"

"Bring it!" bellowed Piccolo, his clear cape rippling in the mighty air masses. He was ready for anything the weakling could throw at him. "I'm ready!"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Thrusting his combined palms forward, Yamcha released his Kamehameha with all the force he could muster. It poured directly out of his hands and traversed the atmospheres as it dashed to the ground.

Piccolo, however, paid it no heed. _That blast…he 's almost, if not as, powerful as that other Saiyan was three months ago. If he could progress so far on his own in three months, what could Tien manage with the right training and practice?_

The beam made contact with his reptilian skin, causing Piccolo to have to dig into his reserve power; the beam was already beginning to swallow Piccolo whole.

"You think… you're worthy of battling the Demon King Piccolo? HYYYYAAAAHHH!"

With a mighty shout, Piccolo grasped the pulsing blue blast in his hands before swinging them to the side, forcing the Kamehameha wave into a new line of trajectory.

Suddenly, Piccolo gaped. He'd made a terrible blunder.

As the beam sailed towards the east, heading for the river stream, Piccolo's eyes gaped in horror. Immediately, he tried to rush forward—yet he felt an odd chill through his body, immobilizing him.

* * *

_Piccolo found himself over sludge; purple poisonous sludge, bubbling upwards as if it was just waiting for a victim to dissolve. Whirlpools of the same substance swirled around the area. Heat—burning, searing heat—started to blaze around the area, causing sweat to bead down the Namekian's face and his throat to somewhat close up; Namekian anatomy wasn't prepared for such a condition of weather. Behind him were ki rings—they looked as if they were designed for a Namekian's anatomy; they ensnared his whole body—including his antennae. He tried to twist and turn to escape their binding grip—it was futile, however. They held him in a crucifix position as a booming voice began to echo off the walls of the chasm-resembling area._

"_Piccolo! How dare you! A Demon King risking his existence for a mere child?!"_

_Shocks ran through Piccolo's body—both physically and mentally—as he deciphered the voice. Gruff—not as low as his—yet one that felt ominous; one he knew from birth. He'd heard a brief word or so from the baritone voice before it faded away at the time. Could it be…?_

"_You're not…"_

_Deep within his mind, a presence lurked silently for many years—the aforementioned being had seen no need to interfere with Piccolo's consciousness. But now, so close to his ultimate plan being achieved—he had to intervene._

_A tall, majestic shadow appeared before Piccolo, taking him and his struggling body all in to his eyes. _

"_You've strayed so far from your plans! __**My **__plans! We have the perfect opportunity just waiting to be exposed! That triclops isn't even in this plane of existence, and Goku is off-planet! Son, _this _is our chance! Forget the damn boy and kill the earthling! Then, truly then, we can attain complete and utter domination of the rock we know as Earth!"_

_Piccolo's heart was one made of stone—he hadn't cared for anything before in his eight years of life. However, all that had changed with Son Gohan. The boy—while a pain at times—had taught him the meaning of responsibility; the meaning of patience. While his intentions were neither strictly benevolent or malevolent, Piccolo knew it was for the best for both himself and the Earth to train Son Gohan to be a strong warrior. While his subconscious had repeatedly told him Gohan was only a pawn for his eventual conquest of Earth, something else—what he now knew as his heart—told him otherwise. These feelings fueled him—without them, he wouldn't have the strength to fight his father's control, struggling by twisting his body suddenly from left to right as if he were locked in a full nelson hold. _

"_Let go of me, right now!" He didn't care about him—he didn't care about Gohan. Everything that led him up to this moment was the desire of revenge; it swirled in his brain like a raging inferno. However…was that the doing of his own father?_

_King Piccolo gripped his son's shoulders with a furious snarl before shoving him backwards into the clear walls, "You weren't born for this! You're losing who you are!"_

"_Maybe I never _was_ who you thought, Father!" Piccolo barked back. Despite the internal conflict he was having, he refused to give in to his father's beliefs. _ "_I am _Piccolo_. While we may share the same name, I am far from what you want!"_

"_How dare you reflect upon the foolishness of Kami?! Is that what you want for our existence; wasting away by the fireside?! Looking over the pathetic organisms we call humans? You are no longer worthy of the title Demon King Piccolo!"_

"_Rggh… you're right, dad…" Piccolo closed his eyes, pulling deep into his mind. He wouldn't lose his free will to his father—not when he felt like he'd finally obtained it._ _"I'm not the Demon King Piccolo…I am Piccolo! And __**only**__ Piccolo! No one will make my decisions for me! Hrrrrghhh…"_

"_What's happening?!"_

Piccolo jerked his head down before slowly arching his back with a loud shout, a bright, clear aura surrounding him. "_I'm taking my body back! And unlike your expulsion from Kami, this time you'll be gone for good! Haaaaahhhh!"_

_His arms began to pulse violently with power; a vibrant wind slashed violently through the deep black sky above the two Namekians. The bodies of sludge began to swirl into a dangerous whirlpool as the vortex began to traverse through the seas of purple. It seemed as if the desolate area was beginning to come to life before King Piccolo's eyes._

"_What are you—" _

_CRRRRCCCKK!_

_Piccolo snapped off his ki restraints with a loud SNAPPP, rushing forward and kneeing his father directly under his chin, snapping his head back as he was sent careening into the other clear wall. Cracks formed in the wall opposite of the former villain, causing him to smirk. He was capable of his own thought; he knew it. _

"_Now get out and stay out—gah!"_

_The King had rushed back with a punch that caught Piccolo off-guard, sending him into the wall yet again. Piccolo Sr. then phased in back of Piccolo—who'd bounced off the wall, allowing King Piccolo to teleport behind him—and smashed his combined fists down on the younger Namekian's foramen magnum, sending him flying towards the bubbling sludge._

_However, Piccolo righted himself by flaring his aura, righting himself just barely above the bubbling sludge. He grit his teeth as he concentrated his ki into a sphere of purple light. "You won't take me!" He suddenly dashed upwards; his arm drawn backward as he formed a small energy ball in the creases of his palm. _

_The elder of the two Namekians narrowed his eyes, drawing out one clawed hand forward as his son approached him with a feral shout._

_All of a sudden—Piccolo vanished into the whispers of the stormy battlefield._

"_Where did he…gggaaah…hgh!"_

_Piccolo had buried his left hand directly into his father's ribcage, causing the latter of the two to double over in pain. Purple blood was spit onto Piccolo Junior's shoulder, but he paid it no heed; he wasn't about to let himself get distracted._

"_My son…please…" he paused to retch up more blood; his voice growing raspier by the second. "F-forgive me…"_

_The ball of violet energy still illuminated the olive green hand it was stored in, just waiting for Piccolo to detonate it. "Give me one good reason…" he growled ferally. "Why I shouldn't kill you."_

"_I am…yo-your father…" he whispered; colours were starting to fade and be distorted. The heat from the ki ball being so close in proximity to him was beginning to char his olive-green skin. "You…were given a chance…by that boy… why not me?"_

_Suddenly, Piccolo hesitated; the thought firmly implanting itself into his subconscious. While he wouldn't want to admit it, Son Gohan had given him a chance. Perhaps not a second chance, but a chance nonetheless. Was that enough to atone for his faults? The boy looked up to him. Gohan saw him as a mentor; a guide. The Namekian hadn't meant—nor did he remotely wish to—accept the role of being Gohan's guardian, but he supposed, with time, he'd grown to respect—and even cherish—his times with Gohan. _

_That being said, was he still in need of atonement? According to the Z-Fighters, he most likely would be; perhaps they would kill him as soon as the opportunity arose. They were forgetting, however, they were not in control of life and death; that decision was left to one being alone._

_With all that in mind, Piccolo's eyes cast upward to look into his father's; weak with reduced pupils and trembling from fear of potential death staring him between the eyes. Would he allow his father to live on in the only way he could; through Piccolo's memory?_

_After all the soul-searching the morally confused Namekian had done, he would never get to make that choice._

_King Piccolo's antennae twitched suddenly, pouring out of it a bright spark of energy that made contact with Piccolo's head, before slowly spreading all over his body to reduce his mobility._

"_GAAAAAH!" Piccolo shouted as the pulsing shock wave began to vibrate all over his body. His arms became numb; his legs gave out—the younger of the Namekians was nothing short of paralyzed._

"_YOU FOOL!" bellowed the Demon King, striking his son on the solar plexus. "How _dare _you spare me? That sick little boy must've rubbed off on you more than I thought he did!"_

"_His…name is G-Go-Gohan…" Piccolo spat. "Get his na-name right…"_

"_Goku, Gohan; Goten, for all I care! A boy; a mere boy, has taken you apart from the inside out! I'll have to put you back together again…" The King drew back a claw before viciously thrusting his hand forward and snapping Piccolo's head back. "…Right after I slaughter him in cold blood!"_

_Struggling, Piccolo flipped his head back forward to stare his father in the eyes; his expression akin to that of a man whom resigned himself to his fate. "You can do what you want to me; you can take over this body, but you _won't _kill Gohan!"_

_At this, King Piccolo could only sneer at the pitiful display his offspring was showing. "You've even degraded yourself into talking pathetic delusions like they did. I guess the saying is true…" He gripped Piccolo by the scruff of his uniform, raising his other hand high to form a bright yellow ball of energy. "If you want something, you have to do it yourself."_

_King Piccolo quickly found a ki ball shot into his face, causing him to lose his grip on Piccolo; the latter taking the opportunity to kick his father in the solar plexus with both feet, the impact sending him sailing upwards._

_The younger Namekian wasted no time in his assault; he dashed upwards, encased in a blue aura, and swiftly appeared over his father to backhand him towards the purple sludge below the battlefield._

_Piccolo was no longer in question of his morality; he was loyal to Gohan, and in turn, the Earth. Not even his own father would get in the way of that fact. _

_He flared his pulsing aura before putting his two hands together; fingers perfectly symmetrical to each other as he charged a concentrated sphere of pure white energy. "This is it! LIGHT GRENADE!"_

_BZZZZLT! The blast was fired with a deafening roar, arcing through the air as it prepared to vaporize King Piccolo in a blaze of glory._

_However, the battle was not over; King Piccolo was able to summon his aura in time to prevent him from hitting the sludge. He made the exact same motion as his offspring did, but he charged a deep black ball of energy as he bellowed out "DARK GRENADE!"_

_The two 'grenades' met with a deafening sound; neither blast giving an inch. However, King Piccolo noticed with horror that Piccolo seemed to be far less strained than he was._

"_This is my body." He extended one of his palms, not concerned at all with the power output of the blast._

"_This is my choice." A yellow beam of energy began to form in his outstretched hand._

"_And this is MY LIFE! MASENKO, HAAAA!" Piccolo let loose the Masenko; it crashed into his Light Grenade and pushed it forward. All King Piccolo could do was watch in absolute horror and despair as the combined blasts drilled into his stomach, forcing him downwards and straight into the sludge; a bright explosion occurring as the Demon King's body was vaporized by a combination of the energy blasts and the poisonous substance. _

* * *

Suddenly, Piccolo felt his mind clear; his strength return. He found himself back in the barren wastelands again. The Kamehameha was inching ever closer to its target—he had no time to think about his action_s. _

Instead of following his mind—which was running a mile a minute due to his father's current situation—he followed his heart.

He dashed forward.

* * *

Otherworld was…different from what Krillin was expecting. What was odd was he felt that he'd been here before—in some kindred form or spirit. Regardless, the monk was too stupefied by the sights before him rather than being concerned about his odd sensation.

When discussing the afterlife, there were two specific places of where souls were sent to; at least that was how Krillin was taught. There was heaven, and there was hell. It was as simple as that. Souls were judged for their permanent stay in the Otherworld, and they were shipped off to the specified area.

Of course, Krillin couldn't truly understand why he was granted his conscious in its full entirety. Shouldn't he have been dignified with the honour of having it beforehand?

_No_, Krillin told himself, snapping himself out of his momentarily trance-like state. _Let's face it; you weren't always Mr. Perfect during your life. _

"Excuse me—sir? You're holding up the line here."

The bald monk's eyes darted over to his right to see an azure-coloured ogre; horns protruded from either side of his head, looking like something reminiscent of a demon. However, the creature looked far less intimidating than even a teddy bear; his overall cheerful smile washed away even the slightest of Krillin's distrust of him.

"NEXT!" shouted a booming voice that comically lifted the figures around the Check-In Station a good two feet into the air.

Hearing—or rather,_ feeling_—the King's booming, powerful voice vibrate around the vast space of Otherworld, Krillin thought it best to appease the voice by entering the small building.

"Your name is…" The big red ogre paused to flip through a large book of some sort before his gargantuan index finger pinpointed said name. "…Krillin, yes?"

"Ex-excuse me, but who are—"

"My name is King Yemma." The gigantic organism finally deemed it worthy to look down at the trembling bald ex-monk. "I am the one who judges souls for the afterlife; I decide whether a being is deemed worthy of heaven or sent to hell."

Krillin found it very challenging not to get down on his knees and plead for heaven, but he willed himself not to do so. After all, he was literally about to hear his sentence for the rest of eternity; the short fighter could swallow his fear just long enough to hear his sentence. But first, there was one thing he'd been curious about since his arrival…

"Wait." Krillin took a deep breath in, soaking in all this information. "If I'm dead—"

"Which you are," interjected King Yemma. Many had been in deep panic or denial once they had arrived at their judgement; King Yemma respected this individual for not doing so. The least he could do to assuage the man's fears was answer a simple query.

"If I'm dead…" he exhaled, letting his body relax from its tense state. "…Why wasn't I allowed here before? Y'know… when I died against King Piccolo's goon?"

"A simple question," responded King Yemma. "You see, one must be of a pure heart—whether it be in righteousness or maliciousness—to ever arrive here at the Check-In Station. At the time, you were just realizing the true meaning of friendship and bonds when you became one of Goku's trusted friends and allies. Due to your less than heroic nature back when you were at Orin Temple, it's not quite hard to deduce that you were in somewhat of a stag between good and evil."

"Okay…" Krillin took a deep breath in. "I'm ready. Give me my sentence."

The giant took one look at him, paused for a moment, and then bellowed with laughter; the vibration of the sound waves emitting from Yemma's mouth causing slight tremors in the surrounding area.

"W-What's so funny?!" Krillin asked, somewhat shouting due to the decibels of Yemma's booming voice.

Finally regaining control of himself, Yemma righted himself in his chair with a grin. "You've more than earned the right to be admitted into heaven, Krillin."

"W-What?!" Krillin gaped. This was truly a surprise to him; he never thought he'd be admitted after the events that had transpired. "I-I'm no hero…" he muttered.

Suddenly, Krillin brazenly looked up at the judger of souls. "I failed to save my best friend! Do you think that's right of a hero?! Maybe Tien or Yamcha would've made a difference…not me. All I did was get slapped into Kame House."

"Krillin, do you honestly think that Yamcha would have the courage to approach that Saiyan even in the slightest?"

"What about Tien…?" Krillin hung his head in shame. "He would've been able to make a difference."

"You're right, Krillin."

Hearing those words made Krillin lift his head slightly. "W-Wha…"

"You're right; Tien would've made more of a difference than you would. However…don't you think that even the sincere regret of not being able to contribute more is truly noteworthy and shows the pride of a heroic soul?"

"What do you mean?"

"It means, Krillin, you suffer from an inferiority complex. You think that you're to blame for every single fault in the world. And that's why, after witnessing your behavior in person, I feel I need to alter your sentence slightly."

"Wait! No! Please!" Krillin cried, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks. The stress caused his legs to falter, and he found himself on his knees shortlyafter. "I don't want that!"

"I'm going to rid you of such a complex in the only way I know how," Yemma replied. "Prepare the Higher Plane!"

"What's t-th-the Higher Plane?" Krillin choked out. After everything that had happened over the past three months, the ex-monk just wanted a place of solace and tranquility. "I-Is Tien there with that mystical Kai?"

The ogre shot down the short fighter's hopes with a simple shake of his head. "If I sent you to train with King Kai and Tien, you would feel less than Tien; weaker than him. While you will not be going to heaven, I assure you'll be happy with the conditions."

* * *

The dust cleared from the explosion of Yamcha's Kamehameha wave; the area was broken and battered from the battle that had taken place not even an hour ago. However, two figures stood tall over the wreckage—however, they both looked worse for wear.

Piccolo panted heavily as he moved his arms out of the X-like position he'd utilized to guard Gohan from the pulsing blue beam. _That was too close for comfort…_ His body ached with every movement, but he knew in order to protect Gohan, he'd need to fight to the death. He was his guardian—yet he would fight for the boy regardless.

In the sky, the scar-faced bandit suffered from lack of breath; his body trembled with each inhale of oxygen it took in. "I can't keep this up…"

Wasting no time, the alien dashed upwards and caught Yamcha with a knee to the abdomen, causing the human to double over in pain. Piccolo then capitalized on his opportunity by bringing his arms down on Yamcha's back, but the long-haired fighter seemed to dissipate into thin air.

"W-Wha—" He was caught off-guard by the fist that slammed onto the back of his shoulder blade, sending him spiraling down to the ground; the impact kicking up a dust cloud.

Yamcha landed on the ground near the freshly-born crater; one hand down on the ground to stabilize himself, lest he land incorrectly and suffer an injury because of it. The battle was taking its toll on him, and he knew that without a clear finishing blow, this fight would end out of his favor.

"RRRRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Piccolo dashed forward with a feral shout, tackling Yamcha just as soon as he stood fully. The two flew through the air; the Namekian firmly tackling the human towards the ground. Yamcha pulled a sneaky maneuver of an eye-jab with a ki-infused finger, blacking out his right eye temporarily. While the Namekian howled in pain, Yamcha thrust both his fists forward to strike Piccolo on the solar-plexus—however, Piccolo had recovered enough to block both fists by firmly gripping them in his palms; this caused a power struggle between the two.

However, the long-haired fighter hadn't forgotten that he and his opponent were on a quick descent towards the ground. To counteract the possibility of him being the one to absorb the brunt of the fall, he placed his feet on Piccolo's midsection and used him as leverage to perform a back-flip, landing on his feet.

The scar-faced bandit then realized something odd; his arms still were firmly gripped by Piccolo's arms. How could that be?

He looked straight forwards and gaped when he realized that Piccolo had used the unique anatomy of his people—the Namekians—to extend his ligaments; he'd used this abilty to keep a firm grasp on Yamcha. Suddenly, his arms began to retract, pulling the frightened human towards him; Piccolo kicked back his leg to charge momentum for the collision.

The collision was heard around the world as Yamcha's ribcage cracked with a deafening sound, sending him flying backwards and hitting a mountainside, slowly sliding down it until his body slumped—unconscious.

"Hah…hah…" Piccolo panted, shoulders heaving with each breath. Colours were dimming; the light was fading.

Suddenly…

…Darkness.

* * *

"D-Damn you, Vegeta…"

Turles' body was burning; blood oozed out of his wounds and melded with his broken bones. The feel of it disgusted him—it made him feel worthless. Vegeta, who had demonstrated such pride and honour during their grueling battle, had deemed him weak and menial; the Prince didn't even consider him worthy of a warrior's death.

"I-I'll show him…I'll show him and everyone else! Turles is a name to be revered and feared…"

He'd been crawling for nearly an hour, making little to no progress—though he refused to allow his life to slip past his grasp without a fight.

"A-Almost…th-there…ju-just a l-little more…" his breaths were short and ragged; the fallen planet of Delos spun wildly around him.

"G-Got it!" Turles gripped the object firmly in his hand before immediately devouring it whole, not even pausing to chew the piece of the object.

He swallowed—the effects were instant.

"HAAAAAAAA!" Turles' muscles expanded slightly, and his aura burst to life around him as the fruit from the Tree of Might began to kick in the Saiyan's metabolism. "YES! I feel incredible; I could take Vegeta twice over if I intended to!"

Suddenly, he realized something—the fruit seemed to intensify the metabolism and body overall. Turles could feel his heart pumping faster since his eating of the fruit.

It was worth a shot, at the very least.

* * *

_His thoughts of killing Vegeta permeated throughout his mind, even after death. Oddly enough, he found himself as a cloud, waiting in a single-file line when—_

* * *

Turles stood over the resuscitated Saiyan with a malicious grin.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, General Nappa."

* * *

"Mr. Piccolo!"

Gohan nudged his master once more on his side, desperately trying to revive him from his apparent unconsciousness. "Please get up! Please!"

"Ngh…Gohan?"

"Mr. Piccolo!" Gohan promptly leapt onto Piccolo and immediately started to sob into his mentor's chest. "I-I thought I lost you!"

Slowly, Piccolo began to sit up, allowing Gohan to continue to cry. While he wouldn't have allowed such behavior before, it felt…touching…that he cared so much about him.

"It's okay, Gohan. I will never leave you."

He paused and looked up at his mentor with a teary expression; his cheeks flushed from crying. "Y-You prom-promise?"

This was the moment of truth for the recently reformed Namekian. Could he promise to truly be Gohan's guardian? The faint screams of his father told him no, but his heart—which he'd learned to trust more often—told him yes.

"I promise," smirked Piccolo as his father's voice ultimately died out in his subconscious, granting him complete and total control.

* * *

_Greetings to you all, and thank you for reading this new chapter. I realize that I haven't updated in a while, but now that my external commitments have decreased in stature, I'm confident I'll be able to write more for SotF in the future. I truly do apologize for not making some sort of announcement, but at least I'm back in action now._

_There's something I first want to address with this chapter; Piccolo's behavior. I was working on this scene and was going to leave this unmentioned, but I decided it was worthy to note; Piccolo's thoughts and intentions were manic in this chapter because he had his father's influence burning in his subconscious. The rough draft of this scene didn't have the whole poisonous backdrop, but I think it's pretty awesome; kind of a symbol, if you will. Also note that sequence with Piccolo took place in literally less than a second. This was my exact reason for writing the scene in italics; I wanted to convey that. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. I was really proud of that scene, and I really hope you enjoyed it._

_The other thing I'd like to address is Nappa's revival. We never really had an in-depth look at how the fruit affects an organism overall, so I took that and figured that it strains the user's body slightly, giving it a Kaioken-esque kind of feel. Therefore, the fruit was able to get Nappa's heart beating, and subsequently his heart began pumping blood as a result. _

_**I'd like to take a moment of your time to give a mention to my newest fanfiction; The Saiyan's Cascade. It's located on my co-author's profile; the awesome I-Am-So-Original. You can easily access it from my favourites page. It would be heavily appreciated if you were to read and review that in addition to Sins of the Father.**_

_I realize that not many of you will be happy I've taken on another project, but rest assured SotF will always be my main and primary focus._

_Since we're going to have things moving next chapter, I'll be giving you our current power levels with EVERYONE for comparison:_

_Vegeta: 25,000_

_Goku: 4,500_

_Soba: 38,000_

_Zarbon: 23,000_

_Zarbon(Monster Form): 35,000_

_Dodoria: 22,000_

_Frieza(First Form): 530,000_

_Raditz: 4,700_

_Nappa(revival from Tree of Might): 15,000_

_Turles: 30,000_

_Turles(Tree of Might): ?_

_Gohan: 3,200_

_Gohan(Great Ape): 32,000_

_Tien(3 month training at King Kai's): 4,100_

_Tien(Kaioken x1): 5,100_

_Tien(Kaioken x2): 8,200_

_Yamcha: 1,400_

_Krillin: 1,000(lack of severe training due to consoling Chi-Chi)_

_Next time on Sins of the Father, we will depart from our current story to look back into the SotF timeline; a lost episode, if you will. Son Goku's fall from grace will be heavily detailed. Just how did it come to be? Tune into The Death of Son Goku to find out!_

_**Q**__: Great chapter and I like how you are also accounting for skill and control as big factors in the outcome of the fights/battles and not just pure power/strength and I imagine that speed will come into it as well later. So the Saiyans finally were able to win there battles and now they're down 1 (Nappa poor poor Nappa, Turles doesn't count as he isn't a part of their crew). Now that we've had a bit of what the Saiyans have been up to, I hope we'll get to see what the Earthlings have been up to especially Gohan and Piccolo.  
__**A**__: It wouldn't be fair or logical if I only utilized power levels to determine how fights play out. You are correct in your assumption; I will—minor spoiler—be having quite a few battles that will be determined by complete teamwork and skill. The reason for this is to try a new style of writing for battles. As for how skill/control/speed will affect future conflicts, I actually have something in the works. It'll become prominent later in the story, but it'll definitely be playing a major role.  
I also hope that you were satisfied with the Earthlings in this chapter. I didn't focus on Tien much, but don't worry; he has a major part to play in the chapters to come. Rest assured I haven't forgotten about anyone in this fanfic. Not even Chiaotzu._

_**Q**__: A good chapter. I'm not sure if I should be surprised at Vegeta killing Nappa or not. Yes, Nappa was beaten brutally which is why Vegeta killed him both originally and here. But on the other hand, Nappa fought well against superior numbers of killers who were all around his strength, he deserves credit for that much.  
And Vegeta left Turles to die, that might not end so well for him. I forget, was Turles' ship destroyed? Ah, so Goku did learn Instant Transmission. The problem is that he showed Zarbon, who would report it to Frieza. Frieza may become paranoid about him, the ability to teleport as well as a show of his talent at picking up techniques. With the Instant Transmission alone, Goku could become a very dangerous assassain. Regardless of if he would or not (taking into account the matter that Saiyan pride has probably been drilled into his head), Frieza may very well be intelligent enough to realize the possibility. Looks like Goku is influencing Raditz a bit.  
__**A**__: Raditz will be a key character in the events to come. He's overjoyed that he has someone that somewhat looks up to him and someone he can actually talk with—I don't imagine Vegeta or Nappa treated him with much respect. Sins of the Father is a very relationship-dynamic story; I will be incorporating many friendships and bonds. Besides, I'm enjoying being able to bring out Raditz's character; on my poll, he was actually one of the top three characters readers enjoy on SotF—the other two being Vegeta and Goku.  
I also want to point out to readers that this was __**not the first time Goku saw a technique like Instant Transmission performed. **__I know that it took an awful lot of time for canon Goku to learn Instant Transmission, but The Death of Son Goku will extensively cover my intentions, as it will with the Galick Flare. Perhaps I should've released this special earlier, but I can't change the past—hmm…I should go visit Trunks and Bulma…  
It should also be noted that this concept was inspired by Break Through the Limit in the sense that Raditz and Goku form a brotherly bond—however, this brotherly bond will be developed on the side of evil. It'll be really interesting to see what happens between the two. _

_**Q**__: Amazing chapter. I have to ask though, what's Soba's personality like? I don't remember him from the TV show.  
__**A**__: Soba isn't from canon; he was an antagonist in Dragon Ball Z: Sagas. I thought it'd be cool to utilize him. Since the game doesn't really depict him with any sort of personality, I just gave him a 'silent but strong protector' kind of feel; sorta like Sixteen. Even though I dubbed him an antagonist, he is a hero; he was only testing Goku to see how far he'd come in training for the year he spent on Yardrat in Sagas._

_**Q**__: Something tells me that all these techniques and skills Goku is developing will cause Frieza to grow concerned about his rapid progress. Who knows, maybe he'll actually work on finding the 5th form just to be safe.  
__**A**__: The seeds of doubt were somewhat planted within Frieza's mind when Dodoria voiced his opinion—Zarbon's report of Goku actually being the one to kill Soba may cause Frieza to think things differently!_

_**Q**__: My one question is about the earlier line and that whole sequence. Are you saying that Turles wasn't familiar with the Ozaru transformation, or the fake moon? My guess is fake moon, but I would love a little clarification on that.  
__**A**__: Basically, I'll map out my personal view of the Tree of Might movie. It really doesn't fit into any specific point in canon other than the time period of the three-year training. Of course, this begs the question of why Goku didn't transform into Super Saiyan; he didn't do that in Cooler's Revenge either. It's definitely not because of instability; Goku even states to Trunks in canon that he's learned to control his Super Saiyan power. While it's obviously not DBZ canon, I follow Honor Trip's Tree of Might special in terms of the Tree of Might—__**I highly recommend it even if you're not an Honor Trip reader; it has no correlation with the story whatsoever. However, it's still a great fic that I cannot stress how much I recommend. **__The HT special takes place before Age 767(arrival of androids), so I figure—and this is only an assumption—that Turles could've potentially figured out the trick to the Power Ball technique AFTER Age 764. While I realize that explanation isn't truly solid, I cannot think of anything better than that. Since he's non-canon, I don't try to read too much into him. Nevertheless though, I hope you found this to be logical as for why I did what I did._

_**Q**__: Awesome chapter, and congratulations for killing off Krillin. If you ever go to Namek and bring in Guru's unlock potential, I have a theory as to how it works. I believe that he basically brings out the power a person could have if they spent every minute they had training.  
__**A**__: While that is definitely a nostalgic theory—I will admit I thought that's what happened when I was a little new to the concept of power levels—I won't be using that theory. It begs the question of how Zenkais would factor into it. For example, what if Gohan received a certain Zenkai at a specific point in time? How would your theory work then? Rest assured I'll be exploring the Unlock Potential form in some way or another. I already have the power levels for pretty much the whole story mapped out.  
And killing off Krillin? My dear sir, his adventures are just beginning…_

_**Q**__: Awesome!  
__**A**__: Thanks, Ledgic! Your comments on the story on DBM and other sources have been really inspiring!_

_**Q**__: Well, again short, but still a good read, and I see that Vegeta is now in between sort of a Namek and Saiyan Saga development stag: Extremely ruthless, but is more careful about battles.  
I'm guessing that things will get far more interesting if and when the Namekian Dragon Balls are discovered.  
__**A**__: In Chapter 4, Frieza's top astrologist was asked to look further into the concept of the Dragon Balls. I actually have plans to somewhat elaborate on this—and the actual character—in The Death of Son Goku. THIS ASTROLOGIST SHALL NOT BE IGNORED!  
About chapter length, I'm hoping you were satisfied with chapter length/content. I tried to wrap things up on Earth while still giving a certain suspense to the next official chapter._

_**Q**__: Raditz was finally fighting for someone else :')  
__**A**__: The little scare Raditz went through will definitely be impacting the brothers' overall relationship. That's all I'll say for now. _

_**Q**__: (Super extensive review)_

_Now this is a seaworthy fic, one that can contend with the big boys given enough time. There aren't any game breaking flaws, just keep things up. You can only go higher from here.  
__**A**__: Thanks for the extensive review and for your praise. I'll start by saying that the Saiyans were just being as absolutely precautious as they could be. I will admit this was sort of tough to work out with Vegeta due to his arrogant nature, but I think it worked out. As for Cell, trust me when I say that he will be completely different from canon. Who knows, maybe Gero will find a way to gather Zarbon's cells. It'll be interesting._

_I don't want to say much more for fear of spoilers, but Androids Seventeen and Eighteen will definitely be playing major parts in this story._

_The Android 1 thing was just a little mini-collaboration between InfinityGohan and me; it was in response to the mock fight I posted in Chapter 5's Q and A._

_Dragon Ball Multiverse 2 is something that Rafael came up with on the site. 20 fics have been selected to mimic the DBM concept; it's currently in the planning phase. Once all 20 fics are finished, there will be a fanfic posted on an account of the whole DBM2 community. You can find the list on my profile; I must say each and every universe is an interesting read. I'm proud to say I was admitted into it; you're currently reading U20._

_**Q: **__I like your story but there are several points I must address._

_Your story is so fat that when it was diagnosed with a flesh-eating disease, the doctor gave it ten years to live._

_Other than this concern I must say your story is quite extraordinary__**.  
A:**__ Thank you for your high praise and concern, Doctor Skar of the legendary Gast N' Palz; I will be sure to give it treatment. Perhaps we can organise a doctor's appointment for Sins of the Father soon. _


	10. Chapter X: Grudges

**Namek Saga - Part 1: Grudges**

He hadn't known for how long he was out for, but he cursed himself for it all the same. The tall, scarred bandit rocketed through the air at a dangerous velocity, the winds whipping against his crestfallen face. Yamcha was depressed and enraged; a dangerous combination of emotions when applied to many situations.

_Why?_ He questioned himself. _Why am I always so damn weak? I couldn't even protect the world from Piccolo when Gohan—the son of the man who protected the world countless times—needed help…but this isn't over yet, Piccolo! No…if anything, I'm just getting started!_

Curving upwards in flight, Yamcha ascended the mighty Korin Tower; the wind blew vivaciously against his face—as if a test to prove his determination. Brazenly, he traversed the atmosphere as the air began to grow thicker and less in molecule count; hands in fists at his hips as he gathered his power in the core of his body. Higher and higher he went, until ultimately he saw a small palace flicker in the sky.

He had done it**—**he'd made it to Kami's Lookout. While this wouldn't be an ordinary achievement to someone of Piccolo's power, Yamcha felt proud of himself for mustering the courage to make it here. He wasn't used to flying—he found it astounding that he could make it to the Lookout and only feel slightly out of breath.

Suddenly, he felt a power level ZING through his mind; his head lifted and turned to see a man dressed in a turban and unique clothing walk towards him.

"Hello. I am Mr. Popo. Who are you, human?" The genie-like being queried. Of course, he was happy that he'd found a new person of whom to socialize with- it grew quite lonely on the Lookout when Chiaotzu was off taking lessons from Kami—but he had to ensure that the Lookout would be safe from harm. He couldn't risk the possible outcome of maliciousness harming all of his hard work at cultivating and sprucing up the lookout.

"My name is Yamcha." The redeemed bandit raised his fist in a sign of determination. "I'm here to receive training."

"Of what sort?" Popo inquired, continuing to look at Yamcha's determined mien.

As he directly stared at the organism's eyes, Yamcha silently noted that he didn't blink much—how creepy. "In all honesty, I'm not sure…I need something that can make me stronger, faster—I need to be more powerful. With Tien gone and Piccolo less than a hero, I can't run the risk of a threat running rampant across Earth without someone powerful to protect it." Each word that spilled out of Yamcha's lips sounded more and more uncharacteristic of him—yet he meant every single word of what he said.

"All right. You have convinced me." Popo's stare never broke Yamcha's eyes. "Popo will begin your training."

"Yes! All right!" Yamcha pumped a fist in the air in excitement. "I'll finally get to—"

"Popo sees that you're having trouble with your energy and flight. Might we start with cleaning that up?"

"Let's do this!" Yamcha drew back into his fighting stance; left leg and arm outstretched—the opposite side of his body mirrored its counterpart. Across from him, Popo stood, arms behind his back as he sized up his opponent.

"Well? Am I gonna have to make the first move or—"

Yamcha's head snapped back as he was directed backwards by the force of Popo's lunge, sent freefalling downwards as he connected hard with the forest ground.

"Enjoy the fly back up!" The genie called, waving towards his non-visible new friend.

* * *

The rogue Saiyan crossed his arms in thought. "Well…this is quite an interesting scenario." It was true that the fruit had revived Nappa to a semi-conscious state, but his severe injuries had prevented his full recovery.

Turles scrutinized the fallen Saiyan closely, inspecting him like an animal would do its prey. After all, Nappa would be of no use if he was rendered incapable of fighting. "We're going to have to take you to Planet Trawlfa; a planet that's known for its scientific expertise. If we don't hurry, you may never be able to walk again." _And reviving you will have been a waste of my time… _"Luckily, the planet's only about ten minutes from here. We've got to move."

He threw Nappa over his shoulder before making his way into his ship, thanking the heavens that Vegeta was foolish enough to provide him with some means of transportation—he'd be stranded on this barren, desolate planet otherwise.

* * *

"What do you mean, he won't ever recover?!" Turles slammed his fist furiously through a piece of technology. "I wasted my fruit for nothing?!"

"Sir…" spoke a Trawlfian, clothed in a mystic blue cloak with red skin. "If we attempted surgery now to repair his bones, it would prove to be redundant—the Saiyan's bones have been shattered into shards; they're not able to be mended like such breaks. If he'd been injured in a fight, I could easily fix his body with no problems whatsoever. However, with such injury, it's improbable I'll even be able to get him to speak again."

Turles was cursing himself; he found his current predicament foolish. If only he hadn't been a fool—hadn't tried to lessen his own handiwork. Was this the pride of a Saiyan, wanting to act alone and be revered as a powerful warrior? He didn't know, but this sensation filled him nonetheless.

Just then, another Trawlfian appeared, wheeling by some unidentifiable parts. Since Turles knew he was stronger than everyone on this mudball anyway, he lunged forward and shoved the alien away from his cart; the Trawlfian fell backwards into a piece of machinery.

"If you can't fix him... then re-build him." Turles said, staring intently at the machinery parts.

"What?!" shouted a Trawlfian. "Are you mad?! We can't add technological machinery into a living, breathing organism!"

Turles had a crazed gleam in his eye as he turned to stare menacingly at the alien who dare spoke against him. "I shall be leaving for precisely an hour. You have exactly that much time to determine how to get him back in pristine condition with that technology."

With that, Turles walked off, seemingly following his word. However, about five pacings into his walk, he paused and looked over his shoulder. "Ah, yes. One small detail I forgot to mention. For every extra five minutes you are granted, I shall slaughter one of you. Carry on."

* * *

Vegeta walked through the hallways of Frieza's starship with a stoic expression, but internally his feelings were those of joy and elation. He couldn't believe he'd been able to best someone more powerful than him all on his own and by following the Saiyan code of honor. It felt beautiful to have earned such a clean victory—however, his lust for revenge hadn't been sated in the slightest… he still had Frieza to contend with. His victory against Turles had pushed his power level to heights he couldn't even imagine gaining in such a short period of time, yet he knew Frieza wouldn't be as easy to dispatch. Of course, this drastically high Zenkai boost had not come without pain, as evidenced by his bloody armour and boots.

Suddenly, a lavender hand was laid on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "And where do you think you're going, Vegeta?"

Vegeta—despite what Cui might've thought—hadn't paused because of the asexual alien's superior strength; he'd halted from the _lack _of pressure that he felt from Cui's grip. He smirked before turning his head to the left, giving his face a primal and feral look. "You have exactly five seconds to remove your hand from my shoulder until I snap your neck. Five…"

"I'm supposed to be scared of you, Vegeta?" The fish-resembling creature voiced. "You fool! We were equals… but due to the training Lord Frieza's put us all through, I far surpass you in both speed and strength!"

The Prince's eyes widened, and he unconsciously let out a small gasp. "What did you say?!"

"Lord Frieza thought we were all slacking too much; he put us through only the most brutal training the Planet Trade Organization could offer. That's right, Vegeta! I far outclass you! My power level has increased in stature to the twenty-seven thousand mark! What do you think of that, "Prince" Vegeta?"

_I think you're an even lazier bastard than I thought you were, Cui… _"Impressive. By any chance, would you happen to know where Lord Frieza is now?"

Cui jerked his head to the side. "Where he almost always is; the briefing chambers. I'd hurry; he doesn't seem in the best of moods… seeing a monkey like you won't help his attitude much."

The Prince would have responded by lunging at Cui, but this time he only smirked—he knew he'd be able to kill Cui with little effort now. As much as the lanky alien had improved, Vegeta had improved twice as much since their last encounter. Instead, he slapped the alien's hand off of his damaged shoulder-guard before walking in to confront Frieza about his latest mission's success.

And of course, as soon as the Prince of his forgotten race stepped into that dark and depressing chamber, he was reminded how insignificant his own power was when compared to the tyrannical, unsurpassed Frieza.

However, unlike previous encounters with the Arcosian that he despised, only one of his lackeys—Dodoria—accompanied the pale-skinned creature.

"Ah, Vegeta…" Frieza paused to let out a rancorous chuckle. "How pleasant to see you again. How did you and Nappa fare on your excursion?"

Throughout Frieza's obvious attempts to intimidate Vegeta, the flame-haired Saiyan kept an impassive look—neither of fear or cowardice. "Nappa was murdered on Planet Delos."

"Oh?" Frieza casually leaned forward, intrigued by one of his "favorite" races being brought ever closer to complete and utter extinction. "Whoever could've done that?"

Vegeta internally cursed himself for not having thought up a plausible lie to appease his master; he'd been too pre-occupied with his incredible power increase to even remotely consider doing so. _I'll have to act on impulse and hope that fool finds it feasible._ "He was killed by a native—he never saw it coming. A spear through the heart from behind could take out anyone, especially with enough force. Needless to say, I took care of the situation shortly after."

Suddenly, the Arcosian slowly began to clap; a nonchalant clap that—even unconsciously—struck fear into Vegeta's heart like a Death Beam would. "Well done..." The Arcosian's mind was racing at the moment, though his chilling demeanor would never allow it to be shown. _The last time I clocked Vegeta's power level, he was at eighteen thousand; with his monkey form, he'd be more than a match for Ginyu. If the banter Vegeta and Cui exchanged outside was true, that monkey would be around the three-hundred thousand mark with that form… far too close to my liking. If he grows much further, he'd be able to outclass my First Form!_

His eyes widened with that realization, and Vegeta didn't fail to pick up on it. The two seemed like they were tensed for quick action; their gazes never adverted from each other_, _not even for an instant.

Then, Frieza curtly and swiftly nodded towards Dodoria, whispering a faint message:

"_Destroy his tail."_

Vegeta's ears—enhanced by his Saiyan heritage—received the message just as Dodoria's spiky cranium lodged firmly into his stomach, driving him back against the wall; the Prince nearly felt his back crack from the brutality of the unexpected attack. Chubby mitts soon swiped furiously against Vegeta's already battered body, causing the Prince to bellow out in pain. Suddenly, Dodoria reared his fist back for one last powerful blow, but he connected with nothing but the dusky wall, clumsily smashing a hole through it.

The Prince had rolled away from the impact, dashing back with a headbutt of his own that struck Dodoria's core, which forced him back a few steps, groaning in pain. Vegeta didn't waste his opportunity; he dashed forward and phased out of Dodoria's sight.

"Wh-Where'd he go?" The brute questioned, his head whipping from left to right. Never had the Prince displayed such incredible power before; it worried him. What if Frieza was impressed by Vegeta's display of power and promoted him to his right-hand man? He didn't want to think about what would happen to him.

Lord Frieza watched in his hoverchair, amused by the Prince's feeble antics. Of course Frieza could see him, sneaking stealthily behind Dodoria. _Well… if Dodoria can't finish the job, perhaps I shall. In fact… that might prove more enjoyable…_

Warping behind Dodoria—as Frieza had easily predicted he'd do—Vegeta landed a firm cross-legged kick to the back of Dodoria's skull, forcing the pink organism to tumble forwards and land directly on his face. Silently, he raised his left palm, preparing an azure-colored concentrated sphere of energy.

The Prince then averted his gaze from Dodoria to Frieza, in order to gauge his reaction. However, the Arcosian tyrant was only smirking maliciously. "Keep your eye on the target, Vegeta. I thought I'd taught you that trick ages ago."

Irony would be delivered not even an instant later; Dodoria crashed into Vegeta in a style akin to that of a freight train, pinning him down on the ground before breaking his jaw with a swift punch.

"Gwah!" spat Vegeta as fresh blood spat out from his mouth, dirtying Dodoria's armour. However, Dodoria paid it no heed, turning the Prince over and firmly gripping his ankle. Smirking maliciously, Dodoria lifted him up by said ankle before firmly latching his other hand with the flame-haired Saiyan's tail; he then dropped the Prince's ankle—and when Vegeta fell to the ground; his ankle broken…

He found himself tailless before suddenly blacking out.

* * *

Precisely an hour after his departure, Turles landed neatly on the Trawlfian soil, walking with his arms crossed through the medical bay. The barely audible whispers of fear and panic were music to the Saiyan's ears; it made him feel invigorated and truly alive. However, there was more on the Saiyan's mind than such weaklings' fear—he wanted to know if the Trawlfians had been able to revive Nappa to fighting condition.

"Where is he?" asked the armoured Saiyan. "Did you fix him up?"

"S-Sir, I believe you will be more than satisfied with our results!" The alien said, visibly cowering in front of the tall humanoid. "We-we weren't able to fully repair him organically, b-but with the use of cybernetics we were able to—AHHHH!"

Turles lowered his palm, not bothered by the fact that he'd just incinerated the creature where he stood. "Anyone want to explain, in perhaps more concise detail?"

A near spitting image of the alien he'd just vaporized walked up; he had a lankier build than that of the deceased Trawlfian. "You see sir, using cybernetics and only our top technology, we were able to restore your comrade into pristine fighting condition."

The Saiyan closed his eyes, chuckling to himself. "Now _that's _what I wanted to hear. Show me him."

A blind was moved, and on a stretcher was a completely new Nappa, infused with cybernetics. While his muscular build remained the same, just about everything else of his appearance changed. His skull was now covered by metallic plating, leaving spaces for his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. His neck, once completely organic, now was covered by the same design as his shoulder-guards; this would allow for tougher protection against blows that could severe his spine. The former Saiyan General now had what appeared to be spare parts engraved in metal forcibly infused into his chest, while his legs and arms were covered by the same metallic substance as his skull.

_Yes… _Turles smirked deviously. _He'll be perfect for a henchman…_

* * *

_Nine months passed since that day, and life couldn't have been more grueling and exhausting for nearly everyone in the universe._

_Goku, Raditz, and Vegeta kept up their training, in hopes that they would one day be able to surpass Frieza. However, with the way Frieza had ordered his henchmen to push their limits as well, it didn't seem likely anytime soon._

_While first unstable with flight and actual martial arts, learning from the wisdom of Kami greatly benefitted Yamcha's technique and strength. While he hadn't made such a dramatic increase in strength, Chiaotzu had worked closely on developing his psychic abilities and telekinesis further, in hopes that his mental strength would be able to make up for his lack of physical power._

_Frieza continued to hear about a specific race known as the Namekians—apparently they were the ones who had created the Dragon Balls. Of course, much more research would have to be conducted to actually find its location, but the tyrant didn't mind—soon enough, he'd have all the time in the universe…_

* * *

"Now, now Chiaotzu, don't grow hasty with your techniques. Remember—although you have a noble heart, your style of attacking is much different when compared to most fighters… don't tire yourself out quickly."

Suddenly, something ZINGED through Kami's mind, and he let out an audible gasp.

"What's wrong, Master Kami?" Yamcha rushed to his side, gently grasping onto his arm. "Are you okay?"

Kami chuckled. "I'm fine… Tien has returned."

* * *

_Salutations to everyone on this fine Tuesday! If you've read my summary, I apologise for this being a day late, and I also apologize for the chapter content not being as large. However, I was focusing the majority of my time yesterday cleaning up my prologue; it's much improved compared to the original. Please feel free to check that out! _

_Yes, you didn't imagine that; Sins of the Father is committed to a Monday update schedule and will be until further notice. The prologue author's commentary should fill you in on that a bit more. Rest assured, next Monday there WILL be an update._

_Also, with this release, we're in the Namek Saga! I've been very excited to write this, and I hope you're all excited to read it!_

_Vegeta(Zenkai): 36,000  
Nappa(Tree of Might): 10,000  
Nappa(Mecha augmentation and Tree of Might, aka Mecha Nappa): 40,000  
Turles(Tree of Might and Zenkai): 53,000  
Piccolo(9 month timeskip): 6,500  
Tien(9 month timeskip): 6,500  
Cui: 27,000  
Dodoria: 31,000_

_First off, Frieza's "maximum power" was 120,000,000. However, the power that Frieza can exude normally in Form IV is 100,000,000. Since he isn't confirmed to be in his 100% bulky state when he receives inorganic augmentations, his estimated power level after said robotics is about 130,000. Therefore, I stuck with what I estimated for Frieza and tacked on 30,000 for Nappa. Fairly simple._

_Vegeta's power level of 36,000 isn't that hard to deduce either from the text evidence; he said he'd improved his power twice over since his last encounter with Cui. 18,000 x 2 equals 36,000—simple enough. On Namek, Cui said that he and Vegeta were equals, topping out at 18,000. That proves my statement correct._

_Another question I can see arising from this chapter's power level chart is Piccolo's power of 6,500. First off, I'd like to address why I put him at 3,200 after the three month mark in the first place. Why did I make him so powerful after only three months? That's easy; he felt more of an obligation to train himself and Gohan due to the fact he had no idea when—or if—the Saiyans were ever going to return. In SotF, Piccolo never left Gohan to train in the wilderness; he immediately started training with him. There was no time to waste. _

_And lastly, I'm sure you're all wondering why Tien is only at 6,500. That's another question I can easily answer for you. Without Zenkais and the natural power gains of a Saiyan, Tien had a tougher time increasing battle strength after a while. _

**Q: **_I've been reading on for about a month now, and I've been thinking about publishing a Dragon Ball Z fanfic. As such, I've started asking around on tips for writing a story. Do you have any tips or advice for a fellow fanfiction writer on how to map out a story and write it?_**  
A:**_ Um…wow. Quite honestly, I think this is one of my favorite reviews in…ever. I'm honoured that you'd ask me for advice. This response might be rather long, so I apologise; I just feel like answering this question as honestly as I can.  
First off, what I did with Sins of the Father is I mapped out the beginning and end plots of the story—this gives you your general idea of where you're going to go with your story and what you want to accomplish with it. In fact, I've only planned for two Sagas ahead(the very next two), and that motivates me to write. However, don't be fooled; that could work both ways. Sure, it's important to know where you're taking the story, but a REALLY bad thing that could result from mapping out the story is the thought, "Man… I REALLY want to write that Cell Saga" when you've barely scratched the surface of the Saiyan Saga.  
Then, I recommend that you brush up on the main characters of your story—usually, when people read your fanfiction, they're going to want to see those characters portrayed in an authentic and realistic manner. Of course, it's essential to know your supporting characters as well; without them, you don't have a story. The key to a good fanfiction is to have other characters have a chance to shine without letting it take away from the main character(s)'s significance. Studying these characters also helps a lot with writing out character dialogue and narration—which are both important aspects of writing as well.  
Finally, my last piece of advice is to have fun with your writing. We're here to have fun, so don't pressure yourself to have the "best chapters ever written" every time. I hope you enjoy writing your fanfic! _

**Q: **_Krillin going to the Grand Kai's Planet? Interesting. I wonder what kinds of techniques he'll manage to learn there. And he definitely has some sort of inferiority complex._**  
A: **_While I'm writing SotF—a story that mostly revolves around Goku and Gohan—I feel that it's important to give the other characters some sort of role in the story. This unique plot twist with Krillin will be able to elevate his character to heights rarely seen in a Dragon Ball Z fanfiction._

**Q: **_I'm loving what I'm reading. And the Saiyan saga was my 2nd least favourite saga in Z to boot. Can't wait to see the Frieza saga in this._**  
A: **_Seeing that I've officially planned out the events on Namek in its full entirely, I'm positive you're going to like the end result. I won't lie; I was shocked when I saw you comment on this story and it's an absolute honour to write a fanfiction liked by you and so many of my other fans. I hadn't expected to say much here, but thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing; your comments and enjoyment of the story have been absolutely amazing. We have officially passed the 600 review mark with the release of last chapter, and here's hoping we can someday hit 1,000 reviews._

**Q: **_Major development for Piccolo, major. Will Yamcha's knowledge that Piccolo 'killed' Krillin drive him farther in training I wonder? And Krillin is going to train with the fighters on Grand Kai's planet. Wow, that's going to give him a major training opportunity, obviously. Lots of new techniques, styles, fighters, etc. but, it might actually make his inferiority complex WORSE. His power level is currently 1,000. Many of the fighters in the fighter's paradise have had a significant amount of time to train, with people who are definitely well above 1,000. I'd imagine that most of them are far stronger than Krillin is. This is something that you might have to address._

_And wow, the Tree of Might can revive people, and potentially work as a Senzu bean. That is incredibly dangerous with the power boost. One hell of a christmas present. And now that Nappa might just have a grudge... Vegeta better watch out. Does it only work to resurrect the recently dead?  
_**A: **_That's a very bright and insightful opinion there, and rest assured I plan to explore this concept entirely. However, I see no need to rush this story, and so I'm afraid I can't address the Krillin comment now. Rest assured this will be brought up again in the future.  
Now, that's an interesting question, but one that I can easily answer. My reasoning for Nappa being able to revive from Vegeta's bone-shattering punch is because his brain was NOT affected in any way; it merely shut down from the extreme pain. Since Saiyans have high metabolisms, they're able to consume substances at a much faster rate, and this is what revived Nappa. Don't worry, he won't be completely unscathed, even if he has cyborg augumentations… _

**Q: **_First off,Great Chapter(although I didn't understand a thing,due to not having read the Other ones,apart from the 1st one :P),but,could I have Summaries of the Chapters or something,'cause you know..._

_Anyway,in the Pic,is a Planet crashing against another one O.o?!  
_**A: **_I believe you'll have a greater reading experience if you actually read through those chapters yourself. Also, I can confirm that two planets aren't colliding. I'll be keeping that one under my hat for now._

**Q: **_I wonder if Coola will be in this fic_**  
A: **_Cooler has been confirmed a member of the SotF cast. How he plays a role is to be revealed…_

**Q: **_wait, so Gohan is ok with Piccolo killing everyone, and finally king Piccolo is really dead, great chapter_**  
A: **_Um…I never said Gohan was okay with it…in fact, the whole point of this was to __**NOT **__have him find out._

**Q: **_Good chapter, but reviving Nappa is a bit of a stretch to me. How many fruits did Turles have anyway? He just keeps coming out with more and more and more. Also, I noticed that you didn't give Piccolo's power level for some reason._**  
A: **_Turles only had one fruit on him(which he bit into). He had to crawl to the Tree of Might to get more. As for Piccolo's power level, he's 3,200. I forgot to mention him._

**Q: **_It(Piccolo's character) fluctuates wildly in this scene. At first, Piccolo is respectful towards Yamcha. Helping him off the ground, saying that Krillin died on an "honorable death", and all of that was fine. Then, he suddenly attacks Yamcha for no reason and then begins to insult him and Krillin; after just respecting the monk's death moment's ago. I know your trying to say that this is Piccolo simply "acting" evil, but it's too much of a shift for him and that was never really Piccolo's style even when he was evil. As I said before, I don't think the whole thing of Piccolo taking the blame when it's not neccesserary isn't in character. If he was too do this though, I feel like Piccolo would have gone the Majin Vegeta route of a quick, unsuspecting knockout and then leaving since he plans on letting Yamcha live to tell the others what happened_**.  
A: **_I did mean to make his character 'fluctuate,' so to speak. As I said before in our discussion, King Piccolo had an influence on his consciousness, which drastically altered Piccolo's character. While I know that we have differing viewpoints, I'm glad you were able to see my point as to why I did what I did._

**Q**_: (Various writing critique)  
_**A**_: Thanks very much for your comments, and I hope that you see the added effort in this chapter. I didn't take any liberties with it._

**Q**_: No Goku this chapter, but the action was awesome all the same. I'm liking the focus on the smaller characters like Krillin and Yamcha; that kept me interested with the story. I dislike how Tien hasn't been mentioned in a while though. I feel like you set him up to be the next protector of the Earth only to knock him back down to his canonical position. While I realize the story is about Gohan and that he will become the next protector of Earth, I was really hoping you wouldn't mature him so quickly and that Tien and Piccolo would get their chance to shine.  
_**A**_: To be quite honest, I differ from your viewpoint entirely. I may not have featured Tien in quite a while, but that doesn't detract from his significance. Regardless, I think I'll wait until the Namek Saga to see if you feel differently._

**Q**_:_ _To join the debate on how Guru and Elder Kai's(I'm of the opinion he only boosted Gohan's base form getting it's power to rival Goku super 3 at the time which is why they stopped the transormation before it started, but that'd make all those games that say MysticGohan is a seperate form wrong) potential reveal trick works, I never really thought about it 'till I just saw that 1 theory this chapter, but maybe it removes some kind of subconsouis block keeping them from using there full power. Like in Krillen's case it was selfdoubt or something, while Gohan fears his power.  
_**A**_: While I'm a fan of Gohan being the strongest at the end of Z, I heavily disagree with your logic. What if Mystic Gohan transformed into a Super Saiyan? I believe he would've done so in canon if he could, and since he was waging a life and death battle against Super Buu(Gotenks Absorbed), it wouldn't be in his nature NOT to transform if he could. I also find myself disagreeing with your Mystic theory; I don't believe that there's any lift from a subconscious block. I'm assuming you got that theory from canon when Gohan acts far more confident and arrogant against Super Buu. _

**Q**_: Excellent update, and I particularly enjoy the greater significance the Earthling Z-Fighters seem to have taken on in Goku's abscence. I'm interested in how Piccolo intends to explicate that Krillin and Yamcha are dead, without antagonzing Gohan against him. After all, only himself or Gohan in Great Ape Form are reasonably capable of killing the two. In addition, I'm curious why Vegeta failed to exploit what appears to be a golden opportunity to drastically elevate his power. He witnessed the Tree of Might's fruit in action, so why did he not take some of it himself? Regardless, it was a quality chapter in all, and I eagerly anticipate your next update.  
_**A**_: Well, now you'll be having weekly updates! I'm looking forward to the challenge of producing a chapter every week, and with the additional fun of writing this story, I believe you'll be more than satisfied.  
Now to answer your first question; I'm of the belief that Saiyans are a warrior race that'll take on the most arduous task whenever they can. However, I cannot see Vegeta taking a fruit from the Tree of Might; I believe someone like him would frown upon that. As I tried to establish in the beginning of the Turles mini-arc, SotF Turles doesn't view himself as a true Saiyan warrior; he completely accepts foul play to get what he wants. I think this little 'backstory' helped to give him a personality, or at least somewhat of one. Nappa wouldn't accept such a fruit, but since it was do or die, he would take the opportunity to live because he feels the need to exact revenge on Vegeta.  
I'm also very glad you're enjoying the Earthlings' roles in the story. This was a main point I wanted to illustrate in SotF. Gohan's only 4 years old; he can't carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. The Earthlings will have to pitch in to help out. I don't recall I narrated Yamcha as dead, though; I believe I said "unconscious." _

_**Q**__: Does the Grand Kai know Kaioken? I never knew that and it feels like he would considering that he's higher than King Kai in the whole ranking system.  
_**A**_: To the best of my knowledge, I'd say he wouldn't know it due to lack of training. Remember that Grand Kai states he's been out of action for a long while; I doubt he'd taken the time to remotely learn anything._


	11. Chapter XI: Breaking Point

_Before I begin this chapter, I want to dedicate the first scene(yes, first scene; once you read, you'll understand.) to American Vigor. His writing of Honor Trip has been awe-inspiring, and was a big help in inspiring Sins of the Father. His retirement from writing will leave a very big hole in the Dragon Ball Z fanfiction community. I appreciate all the time and energy he's put into Honor Trip, and while it's sad to see him go, I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors._

_Please read the author's commentary for notice about SotF's new update schedule! _

* * *

**Namek Saga – Part 2: Breaking Point**

"Tien's back?!" Chiaotzu cried out, elated by the prospect of seeing his best friend again. While he wouldn't want to admit it to anyone, he was very worried that his best friend had somehow been lost to him forever while in the dimension of the dead. "Where is he?"

Yamcha, still fairly close in proximity to the elder Guardian, was stunned by the revelation. "T-Tien?"

Suddenly, Kami dematerialized into the tranquil air of the Lookout, causing the pale imp to turn his head. "Where did he—"

"Looking for me?"

There was no mistaking it; even with his back turned, he knew the sound of his best friend's voice. "Tien!" For the first time in a year, the former Crane student felt a sense of confidence—with Tien around, the former emperor felt the embers of hope rekindle in his persona. "I missed you!"

The tall triclops patted Chiaotzu's head slowly before smiling. "Don't worry, Chiaotzu. Everything will be fine. With these powers, I feel incredible. King Kai taught me something that's known as the Kaioken…"

While the elder Namekian had remained silent, he hadn't done so because he was bothered by Tien's presence. No, if anything, he was overjoyed at his return. However, something felt off…

He wouldn't voice the vibrant energy levels he was sensing; for an instant, he felt Son Goku alive and well on Earth again—that certainly didn't add up. Suddenly, Tien's energy signal seemed to appear in two distinctly different areas. One by one, they appeared. Yamcha, Gohan, Krillin… each of the familiar energy signals popped up one after another.

Oddly enough, it seemed that someone, somewhere, had learned how to replicate the Z-Fighters' power signals precisely. What mostly intrigued the Guardian of Earth about this occurrence was his inability to trace the energy signature. He could sense it—the energy signals were recognizable, there was no doubt about that—but he couldn't pinpoint their precise locations.

_That can't be,_ Kami reproached himself. _My abilities just must've decayed over the years, I suppose. _ He'd be lying if he told himself he had a long life ahead of him. Unfortunately, Kami's lifespan was slowly ticking away… he'd be able to live for at least another decade, though that wasn't what worried him.

Gohan—that's what worried him. The boy was already quite hurt by the loss of his father, if he lost Piccolo, someone who he redeemed and trusted with an intensity never seen before in a child, in all honesty...

Kami wouldn't know what Gohan would do.

Would he potentially snap with a dam of hidden emotions, much like how he'd demonstrated with the battle against Raditz? Would he lose his mental sanity and slaughter everyone, like the Saiyan in his father once pushed him to do before his first case of memory loss? He didn't know how Son Gohan would react, but the outcome was a given—it wouldn't bode well for Planet Earth if the sensitive son of Goku were to lose Piccolo.

Of course, there was an alternate method to solving this problem, as there was to the dilemma of the Saiyans potentially returning…but Kami wouldn't even _dare _risk the possibility of that being running rampant. His body was frail; he couldn't serve as a base for the re-merging of Katas' son—nor did he trust Piccolo to be the base. However, now more than ever, Kami recognized that the Earth needed powerful protectors…

On the contrary, it didn't mean he trusted Piccolo enough to contemplate the idea. While he'd made a substantial change from the being he used to be, Piccolo still bared his fangs at those who weren't the son of his former rival. When it came to Piccolo, Kami was simply relieved that he was willing to defend the planet and wasn't making any attempts on taking the planet for himself… at the moment.

The main concern with the possible fusion was the power increase that would come in addition with the prospect of joining bodies. At a time, there was a point where Kami could suppress the evil inside of his body to an extent; this would mean that he would be the dominant mind in the fusion. Now, if they were to equally join their spirits together, there would be no doubt that Piccolo would be the dominant mind in said fusion. With the malicious tendencies that Piccolo had exhibited over the past year, Kami was more than hesitant to even remotely consider the prospect.

_This is unnerving, but we'd do best to focus on the immediate threat of Piccolo..._ thought Kami, still submersed in his conscious.

"Kami?"

Startled, Kami's head shot in the direction of the voice, coming face to face with a bewildered Tien. "What is the matter, Tien?!"

_It isn't like Kami to zone off like that… _thought Tien with skepticism."Are you okay, Kami?"

"Yes…" The Guardian bowed his head, embarrassed. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. How did you fare in your training?"

Internally, the scarred warrior was somewhat perturbed by the fact he'd have to repeat himself. However. Tien wouldn't have had such a drastic increase in power if not for the man before him, so he didn't mind voicing everything once more. In a way, he felt indebted to Kami; he had granted him the ability to protect the Earth in Goku's absence. "It was amazing, Kami. Regardless of how long and dwindling Snake Way was, the training King Kai gave me was well worth it. Under his teachings, I learned many new techniques that'll help me out. In fact… you guys want to see what I'm capable of?"

"Sure, why not? Maybe then I'll see just how hard I'll have to train to become the strongest human on Earth again!" Everyone laughed at the redeemed bandit's comment, amused by Yamcha's jokes and antics.

However, while he was known for cracking such jokes in the past, this time Yamcha was truly bothered by the lack of seriousness his comrades treated him with. Just because his name was Yamcha didn't mean he was open to being belittled by his friends whenever they so wished. He'd even spent time away from his girlfriend, Bulma Briefs, just to fully devote himself to training for future threats. Of course, he was notorious for cheating on Bulma quite the number of times, but he felt that they were making progress with their relationship—the human had even mulled over the prospect of popping the question to her before his defeat at the hands of Piccolo. From then on, the former bandit was truly a changed man; he devoted his soul to training every night and day for the past nine months. The least his friends could do was acknowledge this and respect him for it, like they did with Tien.

Tien suddenly closed his eyes; even his third eye had been shut from the intensity of the power he was planning to unleash. Suddenly, a majestic, pale blue aura began to surround the triclops; tiles began to rise from their rooted place in the infrastructure. The best part of it all to Tien—he hadn't even begun powering up yet.

_It's time to show them all… what I can really do! _"Hyaaaaahhhh!" Suddenly, his already bright and exuberant aura seemed to double in both power and width, nearly submersing the adjacent Kami and Chiaotzu in the maelstrom of energy.

"W-what power…" Popo gaped, nearly losing his balance on the temple above the Earth.

_I-It's unreal! _Yamcha voiced internally, having to elevate his left arm and force his eyes shut to shield himself from the brute power being displayed.

"T-Tien!" Chiaotzu yelled out over the intensity of Tien's majestic aura, barely managing to stay aloft in the atmosphere.

Ironically enough, it was the man who had to guard himself the most who was most proud of the power being displayed before him. _King Kai… the legends are true. Thank you for everything…_

"Shyaaaaahhhhh!" Tien forcefully yelled out before cloaking his aura, showcasing his complete power with a confident smile. "With this power… I can do anything." _And that's not even my limit, if I count the Kaioken…_

"Well…" Yamcha muttered, bowing his head. "You may have to put that power to the test sooner than you thought, Tien…"

"W-Why?" Tien swiveled around on his heel, coming eye-to-eye with the former bandit. "Did someone attack Earth while I was away?"

"No… but it's something we need to handle now." Yamcha turned his head, ashamed of the words he was about to utter. "Krillin gave Piccolo custody of Gohan a year ago, he's been training Gohan ever since. Everything was just fine until nine months ago… Gohan became a large ape and thrashed all around the wastelands. Together, Piccolo, Krillin, and I were able to subdue him… however, when I was knocked out, Piccolo capitalized on his opportunity and killed Krillin. He then knocked me out shortly after I woke up and took off with Gohan." Internally, he was still seething with anger over his defeat; he was furious that he wasn't able to stand up and protect his planet.

"W-What?!" Tien gaped. "He…killed…Krillin…?" He knew that Krillin had already been slain by a fighter before; Tambourine, King Piccolo's spawn from the depths of hell. The Earthling wistfully recalled that even with the unrivaled powers of the Dragon Balls, the mystical dragon wouldn't be able to resurrect the fallen fighter yet a second time.

"I couldn't stop him… even after that fight, broken and battered, he still beat me…" the human recollected, scowling.

"Hey…" Tien laid a firm hand on Yamcha's shoulder, causing the former bandit to look up. "It's okay now. I'm back, and I'm more powerful than ever. I'll put an end to this and save Gohan."

To this, Yamcha gave a wistful smile. "I'm sure you can."

The triclops turned to look at Chiaotzu. "I'm sorry to have to leave just after I came back, but this is important—it's my first real test as Earth's hero."

"T-Tien…" Chiaotzu whimpered. "Please don't die…"

"Don't worry about me," Tien assured the pale imp, patting his head. "I'm not going to lose. This power… it's invigorating."

And with those heroic words, Tien brazenly turned his back and began his walk forward towards the lush green plants Popo had so diligently grown for the Lookout's scintillating appearance. He reached his palm out and touched the jagged bark, closing his eyes as if he was speaking telepathically to the palm tree. _I won't take energy from you if I don't need it, Mother Nature. But if I do… please assist me… _

Opening his eyes, he ignited his blue aura, looking over his shoulder at the band of Z-Fighters. "Yamcha… I want you to come with me."

"Really, Tien?!" Yamcha was elated at the prospect of getting his revenge against Piccolo. "You mean it?!"

"Yes." The human's gaze was unwavering, focused. Tien was starting to get into his fighting mindset, that, begrudgingly, he had to thank the Crane School for. "I'll need you for backup in case Piccolo gets desperate enough."

And with that, Yamcha's emotions plummeted down the drain yet again. _Is that all he sees me as; backup to him? He may have beaten me once in the World Tournament, but that doesn't solidify his superiority over me!_

Unable to sense his friend's angst, Tien lifted his body into the air—it felt much more exhilarating than in the Other World, where air seemed to have dissipated into the non-existent space above him. He couldn't touch; he couldn't feel—of course, he could survive due to the drastic difference in the dimensional planes—it all felt so different to him… so artificial. Here, however, the triclops could feel the gentle breeze flow through the atmosphere as his body defied gravity. "Let's hurry. I don't want Piccolo thinking that he can hide from me. If he senses my power now, he'll try to get away. I need to take care of him as soon as possible."

* * *

Planet Zark was home to a very peaceful populace. Rarely did anyone fight, and if someone acted out against society, they were quickly and swiftly reprimanded. In fact, to neighboring planets, Zark was known as the Peaceful Planet. The term utopia was also used to describe this nation of tranquility and harmony, growing more and more prosperous each day. The Zarkians always took in refugees and stowaways, and it only served to strength their community.

With such trust and friendship, it was unlikely that the Zarkians would ever have reason to fear. That is… until _he _arrived…

* * *

Goku stood on the edge of a cliff, silent as the winds tussled his hair lightly. "Another day, another slaughter…"

Truer words couldn't have been spoken. Ever since that fateful day about a year ago, with the incident on Planet Zirbank, with… _him…_ Frieza took every opportunity to send Goku on "cleansing" missions. His killer instinct had been awakened on that mission, and the Arcosian seemed to pounce on the opportunity, sending the Earth-raised Saiyan off-ship whenever possible. To say his power had grown substantially would be an understatement; he felt at least twice stronger than Zarbon and Dodoria had been a year ago. Of course, with the new training regime instilled in the Planet Trade Organization, Frieza's two lackeys unfortunately still outclassed him by quite a mile.

His Prince had previously told him that it would be a long time away until the day arose for the rebellion—Frieza's henchmen had grown a lot more powerful than expected. That wasn't even accounting for the possibility of Frieza improving over the nine months of the program being instilled.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Goku howled to the desolate civilization, slamming his fist through a nearby rock. "Everything…everyone… they're all going to die because of my inability to stop Frieza!"

"_Aren't they dead already?"_

Goku froze, stunned and stupefied by the voice inside his head. There was no way he was going mental, was there? The voice, if it had to be compared to anything, sounded exactly like his—but it sounded lighter, cheerier, more…friendly than the rough and hardened voice of the Saiyan warrior he'd become.

"What_ are _you?" The Saiyan growled, eyes darting in all directions to find the source of the other voice. However, when his scouter tried to pick up an energy signal, all he could find was his own, clocking in at a powerful fifty-eight thousand.

"_You say that everyone's doomed because you can't save them from Frieza… but aren't you only speeding up their deaths by slaughtering them yourself?"_

"Some people have to die if it means growing powerful enough to win," retorted Goku. He didn't understand; who was this? Was Frieza playing mind games with him?

"_You've fallen from what you used to be! Come on; think it through! What're you gaining from all this?!"_

"Shut…up…" the Saiyan snarled, clutching his head. "Have _you _lived in Frieza's captivity?! Have _you _had to slaughter a specific quota just to be able to live through a single day?!"

"_You're no person!"_

"I'm not a person…" Goku closed his fists, his body shaking with anger and rage. "I am a beast! I am mighty, and they are NOT! That's why they die, while I thrive! And I thrive… because I AM A SAIYAN!" As if to defend his proclamation, his aura burst to life in a brilliant sea-blue aura.

In the swirling vortex of azure energy, the armoured fighter felt calm and tranquil; the voice had faded out of his mind. While he knew he'd have to return to Frieza's starship soon, for the moment, Goku was content to just sit down on the cliff and take a breather.

"Slacking, Saiyan?"

The Saiyan only had a moment's notice to look up before a large wave of energy rocketed down on the cliff he was standing, vaporizing the mountain of rock where it stood.

Unfortunately for the blaster, Goku had been able to bring two fingers to his forehead just in time to utilize Instant Transmission.

"Fool… he never saw it coming."

A hand was laid on the alien's shoulder, pulling him back into a muscled kneecap against his spine. "What's the big idea here?"

"How… the hell… did you survive?!" The alien growled, trying to escape from Goku's grasp—however, the Earth-raised Saiyan wasn't in the mood for games. He had a limited amount of time before he had to report back to Frieza, and he wanted to make the most of it.

"I've picked up a few tricks… but the better question is who are you?" Goku hooked his right arm around the alien's neck before wrapping his left around the alien's mid-section. "Perhaps I should warn you; I'm not really in a mood to drag things out… speak now…" He grinned madly, preparing an energy ball in his left palm, pressing it against his captive's ribcage. "…Or forever hold your silence."

The alien was beginning to sweat bullets; he didn't know what he could do. _He's far too strong for me… even Captain Ginyu's tactic didn't work… the only option is…_ "I SUBMIT!"

A light chuckle ran through the fallen planet's atmosphere. "Good." Goku dispelled his energy back into his body before using his grip on the fighter to hurl him towards the ground.

However, Goku gave the alien no reprieve; he teleported down to the ground and caught him with a brutal punch to the side of the alien's head, driving the alien further into the dirty, dried soil of Planet Zark.

"Get up! Fight me!" Goku crossed his arms in a stance that was reminiscent of the Saiyan Prince. "I don't have all day!"

The alien supported himself by laying a firm yellow hand on the dusty ground, the deep red sky around them setting the perfect stage for a battle.

As he stood, he was revealed to wear armour akin to that of the Ginyu Force; shoulder guards, the Ginyu insignia, the whole works. His dazzlingly bright yellow skin was a contrast to his deep black bodysuit, and his eyes—a haunting red—seemed to stare directly into Goku's soul.

"My name is Swis... and I am a potential Ginyu Force candidate!"

Goku's eyes widened at the brazen claim; stupefied and shocked. _So… even Ginyu fears our power… more members…_ "Wait! You're not a Ginyu yet?"

"That's right, Saiyan." Swis cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders backwards in order to loosen up for the fight. "If I kill you, I earn my place in the illustrious Ginyu Force!"

A smirk instantly lit up the Earth-raised Saiyan's features as he stared at the yellow alien before him. "About that… I don't think you're going to be making the cut."

"Oh?" Swis raised an eyebrow. "Surely you don't think I'm weak enough to lose to a monkey like you."

"Of course a monkey like me couldn't kill you…" Goku prepped himself for battle, bending his knees and tucking his left arm backwards. "But a Saiyan like me can slaughter you!"

With that, the fighter dashed forward and caught his opponent with a perfectly placed punch to the cheek, following it up with a series of blows that repeatedly struck Swis's head, neck and solar plexus.

Suddenly, to break the pattern, Goku stopped his rapid assault long enough to fool his opponent into deeming him an easy target. As such, he easily evaded the poorly executed punch and lodged his fist directly in Swis's stomach, doubling over the yellow creature and making him spew up a fresh stream of crimson blood.

Goku then grinned sadistically and lifted his kneecap upwards to snap Swis's head back, snapping his head back and leaving him open for a well-timed drop-kick to the ribcage, sending the potential recruit flying into a fallen civilization.

Smoke began to erupt from the life-devoid settlement, and Goku began to grow skeptical of his foe's tactical ability. "I'm not going to let you escape!" He declared with a shout, forming a large sphere of blue energy in his right palm, tilting his body as to gain greater momentum from the blast.

Through the cloud of smoke, Swis was still not visible—but the Saiyan knew he'd have to try.

"DIE!" He bellowed, firing the sphere out of his palm and firing a rapid stream of smaller blasts after it. They all fell from the sky like meteorites, repeatedly colliding with the ground in an attempt to bomb out Swis once and for all.

"You're… not…" Goku had to shut his eyes from the magnitude of power he was releasing. "…Going to live!"

A speck of yellow light rocketed out of the decimated village, and Goku only had time to raise his left arm to cover his face as a knee directly connected with it, shockwaves reverberating around the desolate planet as the fighters struggled—Goku to keep Swis' leg from breaking his arm; Swis to break through Goku's defenses.

Both fighters struggled, sparks of energy beginning to crackle around them. However, though Goku was clearly the stronger of the two, both seemed to be at an impasse.

"Wh-Why don't you just give up…?" Swis growled, trying with all his might to push his leg forward. Regardless of their power difference, Swis knew he could deal heavy damage if he connected this one blow.

"I'll _never _submit to someone like you… I owe it to my brother… my Prince… and EVERY SINGLE SAIYAN FRIEZA EVER SLAUGHTERED!"

Using that extra motivation, Goku flared his aura and parried Swis' leg away, punching him directly on his solar plexus. Once, twice, thrice, and a final roundhouse kick sent the Ginyu Force recruit spiraling downwards towards the ground; the collision was signified with a dust cloud rising over the ground and into the atmosphere.

Goku confidently grinned, dashing downwards and curving in flight to race directly above the ground; dust and soil being torn apart as he charged towards his fallen prey.

Swis had just stood, dazed and confused—until he saw Goku fly directly in front of him with his arm outstretched. The alien tried to connect with a feeble punch, but the Saiyan had evaded it, instead aiming for the soldier's legs with a chop block, the impact knocked the alien off-balance.

The armoured Saiyan then paused in his tracks, turning around to see Swis' body in mid-air from the sweep. As if in slow-motion, Goku malevolently grinned and placed his hand on his opponent's abdomen, piercing a hole through his body and dropping him to the ground.

Goku, ever so cautious, looked down at Swis' fallen body. Lifeless eyes, check. No heartbeat, check. Still movement, check. That cleared it; Swis had perished.

"That's what happens when you tangle with a Saiyan…" Goku grinned, vaporizing the soldier with a wave of his hand.

"H-Help…"

If not for his enhanced Saiyan hearing, Goku might've missed out on the joy of another kill. "A survivor? Well, colour me surprised; I thought I did a pretty damn thorough job."

"P-Please… I'm not going to make it much longer…"

This caused Goku to turn around and walk towards the sound of the voice, genuinely surprised. From the pitch of the voice, he could assume that it was a Zarkian child.

When he finally arrived at the source of the voice, he wasn't surprised—but amused. The boy who had so desperately cried for help was impaled on a blade; it was driven at least halfway through his body.

"P-Please sir… help me…"

Goku bent down to meet the boy at eye level, eyes twinkling with absolute destruction. It would've sufficed to call Goku an absolute madman right now. His Saiyan blood was hungering for another kill, not sated by the foe he'd slain only a moment ago. "Do you know why I was sent here, kid?"

"N-No…" the boy's vision was beginning to falter; the red sky began to appear a deep black to him.

"I was sent to slaughter you. Your friends, your family… your whole race was to fall to my power."

"W-Why are y-you doing this?" the boy began to mutter out, head drooping downwards to fall into unconscious. However, Goku would have none of that; he put his finger on the boy's chin and lifted it back up to meet his gaze of death.

"Because I have to avenge my own race." Goku wasn't liking where this was leading—wasn't _he _the one supposed to be striking fear into the boy before he sped up his death? Instead, ironically enough, he seemed to be feeling worse and worse with each syllable he spoke.

"You-You don't have to hurt everyone… " the boy choked out, his pale red skin withering away with each word. "You could ju-"

ZZZZZZZZZZZINGGG!

Goku fired a small beam that punctured the boy's lung, killing him outright. "You don't know me, you weakling… stay out of my sight. People like you make me sick; you believe that everything can be changed by "just believing," don't you?" Many people would've found it quite odd that Goku was talking to a corpse, but the Saiyan was simply that far gone when it came to matters like this. "I'll tell you something… believing does nothing in this universe. It's strength or death…"

To vent his anger and frustration, Goku spun around and fired an energy blast into the air; he shortly fired another blast after it for a collision, watching solemnly as they lit up the magma-red sky.

As he stared at the center of the explosion, watching shards of energy fall from the collision, Goku's mien exuded a voice of determination and concentration. "That'll be you one day, Frieza… I swear it..."

* * *

Tien's blood-red aura burst to life as he dashed through the skies with blinding speed. Internally, the human was preparing himself; psyching himself up for the battle to come. While he wouldn't be testing his strength against a Saiyan space pirate, he truly felt honored he could defend his homeworld from a threat that the former savior of the planet didn't finish off. Even if it was by correcting the one apparent wrong Son Goku had made, Tien knew he could finally start his journey of repaying the Earth-raised Saiyan for all he'd done.

"Tien!" Yamcha yelled over the high-velocity air currents Tien's Kaioken was generating, eyes squinting from having to put out so much power to keep up with the triclops. "What're you planning to do to Piccolo?! Remember that if he dies, Kami dies too; we won't have the Dragon Balls!"

The human's Kaioken aura died out, and he paused in his tracks, pivoting around to come face-to-face with Yamcha. "I'm sorry; was I flying too fast for you to keep up with?"

Yamcha's throat felt like it closed up on him; he was truly at a loss for words. No matter how much he tried, nobody took him seriously. "N-No…" he muttered. "I-It's fine. C'mon, let's keep moving."

The human was somewhat skeptical of his comrade, but he didn't press his opinion—he had much more to worry about than that. "All right. Let's keep going."

During the rest of the flight, Tien still kept up his Kaioken aura, however, it was quite apparent to both the fighters that the human was suppressing his overall speed. Neither of them had any words to exchange to the other as they dashed along the skyline, illuminating the dusk light in the early night with contrasting auras of a fiery red and a sea blue.

* * *

Both mentor and student were mutely meditating by the riverside, stilling any excess thoughts in their minds. Around this time of day, the Namekian always made his student clear his mind before their evening spar, followed by dinner and sleep—at least for the hybrid. The Namekian would stay up during the night to ensure that his pupil received only the most tranquil sleep; he knew that such a delicate soul required such care. Even the roughest and most barbaric animals cowered in fear at the mere glance of Piccolo. His steely gaze, his willingness to kill—as he'd demonstrated the first time the animals so recklessly charged Gohan in his rest—and even the smallest inhale of the organism's scent could send any carnivore running for the hills.

It was a quiet life, and quite a pleasant life. He wouldn't dare admit it, but the son of the Demon King would be perfectly content if life always remained this way.

He opened an eye to watch his pupil's concentration—focused and unwavering, as per usual. The kid certainly didn't fail to meet his quota; he worked far too hard to impress his mentor.

A year ago, Piccolo would've bared his fangs at such a determination and slaughtered the boy mercilessly. However, with everything they'd went through, the Namekian could only smirk and ruffle the boy's hair.

Aside from the obvious genetic traits Son Gohan had inherited, he was in every way Goku's son. The abiding courage that was so frequently displayed to the aloof, naïve side that was presented in times of joy and exultance only proved this theory.

Faintly, Piccolo wondered whether or not to call him Goku's son any longer. While Goku's psychological traits still shone prominently in Gohan's demeanor, the quiet, more reserved side of Son Gohan seemed to emerge during these moments of solace and harmony; the teachings of Piccolo himself brought these emotions to the half-Saiyan.

They both truly enjoyed these moments, and neither would trade them for any material possession their minds could conjure up.

"Gohan." The Namekian stood, putting his hand on the child's shoulder. "It's time for our evening spar. Let's get a move on before the sun sets."

"O-Okay!" the boy exclaimed eagerly, hopping upwards and leaping into a fighting stance—his right arm was pulled backwards, his left moved in front of his chest.

_Swift and controlled…_ the Namekian thought proudly. "Perfect. Let's begin."

"HOLD IT!"

Piccolo heard the voice boom throughout the atmosphere, which caused a chill to run down his spine. _He's back..._

"Gohan…I want you to run." The Namekian's eyes never once met Gohan's fearful orbs of oynx; he knew he wouldn't be able to assure the boy's safety if he didn't. "Run now."

"But Mr. Piccolo-"

"RUN NOW!" Piccolo shouted, firing two symmetrical energy waves into the sky, frightening young Gohan to the point where he indeed scampered off behind a rock formation—he couldn't bear to leave his best friend completely.

Piccolo's gaze remained hardened, resolute. "You're finally back, aren't you, Tien?"

Out of the smoke dashed the two humans, landing side-by-side—Tien quickly prevented Yamcha from blindingly attacking Piccolo by placing a hand out in front of Yamcha's abdomen. "You have Goku's son… give him back."

"Heh!" The Namekian threw off his turban, cracking his knuckles loudly. "You don't even know his name, do you?"

Ignoring the Namekian's taunt, Tien dropped into his fighting stance—left arm raised up, his right reared backwards—and prepared for battle. "Maybe I don't, but it's for a far more noble cause than someone like you would ever recognize."

It was then that Piccolo recognized the scar-faced bandit's presence, yet his eyes never darted to acknowledge him. _Yamcha is much more of an easy target to pick off when he's reckless... I'll have to take advantage of that if I have any chance of overpowering them both._

Tien's gaze became much more feral in the span of a second. "I guess a heartless demon like you wouldn't understand the meaning of such honor! Today, I finish what Goku started!"

The Namekian, in response, flared his aura—he was already at full power due to his previous meditation. "If you think you can, try it! However… perhaps we should raise the stakes."

Exhaling, the shirtless fighter narrowed his eyes; just what did Piccolo have up his sleeve now? Regardless of whatever he proposed, Tien resolved to viciously pound him into the ground for all he'd done.

"If you win… you can take Gohan and leave. However… if I win, and I defeat you in one-on-one combat… you leave Gohan and I alone for a life of solitude." His cape was now discarded, falling to the ground with an audible THUD.

"You're crazy if you think Tien would ever accept those odds!" Yamcha hollered. "At least he has reason!"

Without looking at Yamcha, for fear of disapproval, Tien curtly nodded. "Challenge accepted."

"WHAT?!" Yamcha shrieked, truly crestfallen at the new attitude of his friend—or at least, whom used to be his friend. Ever since his return, Yamcha could tell that Tien had changed. Whether it was in determination, explicit arrogance, or just sheer stupidity, he didn't know. However, he did know that this wasn't the same Tien he'd last seen six years ago.

"Yamcha… don't worry about me. I'm more than confident in my ability to take down this monster," Tien chided. "King Kai's training, the run down Snake Way; all of it changes you… I have the key to power never seen before for an Earthling, and it will never be matched. I'm going to win here… and I'll continue to strive to be unmatched, for Kami's sake… for Earth's sake… for every man, woman, and child." Suddenly, the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and Tien welcomed his very first challenge as Earth's protector. "YOU HEAR ME, PICCOLO?! I WILL NOT LOSE HERE!"

With a shout, the human dashed forward, causing Piccolo to leap into the air in an attempt to force his opponent to expend more energy. Of course, this didn't falter Tien's resolve; he changed course by leaping off of the ground and firing an invisible kiai wave into the air, which—thanks to his extraordinary ki manipulation abilities—acted as a rope that ensnared his opponent's moccasin like a hog.

Gripping the rope, Tien retracted the rope and pulled himself towards Piccolo, using this kiai rope as a means of springboard, as evidenced when he leapt off of it and caught Piccolo's ribcage with a brutal fist.

Doubling over, Piccolo clutched Tien's shoulder and returned the favor, however, he had enough durability to ignore the pain and follow it up with a knee to the face before continuing his assault with a series of swift punches and kicks; nearly all of the blows he dished out connected with the triclops' arms and legs with unrelenting brutality.

Finally, to end his assault, Piccolo rushed forward with a single-legged dropkick, but fell prey to a vicious right hook that sent him careening to the left and near a mountain of rock; Tien raced in hot pursuit of his fallen opponent. However, Piccolo was able to manipulate his surroundings to his advantage by stabilizing himself in mid-air, performing a full three-sixty rotation in mid-air, swerving out of the way of the human's charge.

Following Piccolo's lead, Tien halted his momentum by kicking off the mountain and charging back to the battle with a headbutt to the solar plexus—as a result, the green fighter began to pitch forward, somewhat dazed. Tien then capitalized on his opportunity by summoning his aura and dashing out of the way of the Namekian's fall and upwards, waiting until Piccolo began freefalling towards the ground to summon his power; he then dashed downwards and caught the fighter with a forearm to the spine. As a result, Piccolo found himself spiraling earthward, with no way to stop his fall.

Already, Tien planned to end the fight, as evidenced by his landing on the ground and lazily holding a hand towards the dusk sky, planning to break Piccolo's spine by having him make a nasty collision with his hand—which he'd supplied with a lingering burst of Kaioken power.

Alas, it was not to be; Piccolo had broken out of his stupor and used his extending ligament ability to grip onto Tien's outstretched palm to yank himself downwards—from there, he used his grip on Tien's hand as momentum to pull himself around the human's body, aiming for his exposed stomach with a dropkick.

The collision sent Tien barreling backwards, though Piccolo never once let go of the warrior's hand; he retracted his arm, rearing back his right hand for a heavy blow that would surely knock out the human warrior who claimed to see a new light.

BOOOM! They re-engaged, and as expected, Piccolo's brutal fist connected perfectly with Tien's skull, laying him out flat on the cold wastelands.

* * *

The light was fading. Tien felt like he'd had a bone break with that last attack, and he realized that he'd let his overconfidence and pride in his new ability take over his conscious. Of course, Tien knew that his actions were nothing if not for glory and righteousness, but now more than ever, he condemned himself for his failure. As it stood now, he wasn't even sure if he could access his Kaioken; he truly felt that out of it.

He saw an indigo pant leg in front of him, and feebly gripped it, trying to return the fight to his foe in any way he could. However, determination and willpower never won battles alone, and he definitely knew that was going to be the case with this fight as well.

He tried to summon up the energy to fight, but it seemed locked within him for some peculiar reason; it was almost like his body was giving out on him… or rather, _afraid _of demonstrating this new power.

_Why?!_ He asked himself, his mind racing with ideas of how to escape his predicament. He couldn't fail here—he _wouldn't _fail here. Everyone was counting on him to win against Piccolo…

"N-No…" Suddenly feeling somewhat invigorated, Tien used Piccolo's pant leg to try to push himself upwards. Unfortunately for the determined human, Piccolo flared his aura and shoved his palm in the shirtless warrior's face.

"Stay down." Piccolo leered, the mystic-blue aura outlining his figure, giving him more of a demonic expression.

Silently, Tien pleaded for a second opportunity; begged for another chance with his power. His head was still throbbing from the intensity of the Namekian's fist, but he could feel it within him—that fresh Kaioken reservoir of energy, just waiting to be tapped into.

This time, he gripped it with all he had.

"KAIOKEN!" Tien shouted, the magma-red aura illuminating the near-nighttime skyline. The absolute shock from his foe regaining such power so quickly would prove to be Piccolo's unraveling; he was sent flying upwards by a mighty uppercut to the chin.

Capitalizing on his second chance, the human dashed forward and upwards with the vigor of a thousand warriors, repeatedly smashing his energy-enhanced fists against Piccolo's ribcage. With each and every blow delivered, Piccolo felt more and more air escape his lungs.

Tien wasn't keen on ending his assault simply because of Piccolo's injuries, however; he continued to press his attack with a roundhouse kick to the Namekian's arm, before smashing him downwards with a spin-punch. Yet again, he didn't let up, continuing his assault on the Namekian by giving him a swift kick to the arm, causing Piccolo to stumble backwards.

Finally giving Piccolo a moment's reprieve, Tien leapt backwards and paused for a moment to dig his foot into the earthy soil below him. Then, using this momentum, Tien flung himself forwards like a catapult and avoided a poorly-executed punch from Piccolo, rather opting to dash around the fatigued Namekian and ram him from behind; the attack sent the reformed fighter into a mountain of rock.

Tien landed neatly on the earthy landscape, cautiously eyeing the pillar of dust that had arisen from the Namekian's fall. He wouldn't trust that he was down for the count; not just yet.

He was right to have doubt.

"Grraaaahhh!" A sphere of ki rocketed out of the weakened warrior's palm, which Tien calmly deflected, taking to the air. _If Piccolo can't see me through the debris, then he'll end up expending all his energy—I'll take advantage and knock him out in one fell swoop!_

Of course, Tien couldn't have predicted that Piccolo had acquired the ability to sense energy; his mind was running a mile a minute due to the stress of both the fight and maintaining the arduous Kaioken technique. Due to this, he had to cross his arms when he saw a particularly lethal energy blast head his way, taking the precisely-aimed sphere with its full pressure.

Piccolo, seeing his opening, took to the skies and broke through Tien's defenses with a well-placed knee to the solar plexus, shortly after punching Tien directly in his exposed face. As a result, blood began to freshly spew out of the spiritually-enlightened fighter's mouth—yet Piccolo didn't stop his ruthless assault at the sight of blood. No, if anything, it fueled his desire to keep on fighting… for his right to keep Gohan with him.

Fueling his power with this thought, Piccolo delivered a vicious backhand that sent the human spinning to the left. From there, he dashed forward with a mighty shout and swung for Tien's mid-section from above—however, the human brought his knees up and lodged his feet firmly within Piccolo's stomach, sending the Namekian backwards in a series of spirals.

Both fighters quickly performed a back-flip to regain control of their equilibriums before rocketing back to meet each other head-on in an exchange of fast and furious blows. The night sky began to BOOM with fear as nature watched the two titans battle, each getting in powerful blows that would be sure to sting even after the battle was over. However, Tien's Kaioken ability would prove to be superior when he was able to swiftly attack Piccolo's skull with a devastating forearm, followed up by an inverted sweep that sent Piccolo higher in the atmosphere, nearly breaking through to the mesosphere—as a result, the Namekian's breathing grew more shallow and staccato.

Piccolo, quickly darting in both directions, fired a plethora of spheres that shot out from either of his palms, racing in different directions.

"I'm up here!" Tien shouted, re-appearing above Piccolo and slamming his conjoined fists down hard on Piccolo's foramen magnum, causing him to freefall downwards until he nearly hit the ground. Tien was about to give chase when he realized that Piccolo had a devilish smirk on.

"What're you up to?!" shouted the human, putting his hands in a triangular-like fashion. However, the fatigue began to catch up with him, and he completely disregarded his question, opting to end the fight now before Piccolo could capitalize on his potential opportunity. "Whatever you've got planned, say good-bye; I'm ending this right now!" A distinct sound could be heard as energy began to pack itself together in the void between the fighter's palms, the end appearing to be near. "It's time I repaid Goku for all he's done! Tri-Beam… H—"

It was then that Tien caught onto Piccolo's ploy, and it was then that Tien realized that this day spelt doom for him.

"Hahahahaha!" Piccolo laughed menacingly, raising his arms above his head. "You were foolish… that moment before you knocked me down, I set up a trap!" Indeed, Tien was surrounded by many spheres of light that acted as stars in the black of night.

"D-DAMN IT!" Tien relinquished his hold on the Tri-Beam's energy, re-absorbing it back into his body as he violently flared his aura. "I was such a fool… why didn't I just fire it?!"

"Feel free to reflect on that when you meet King Kai again!" He grinned. "Now… die!"

Piccolo swiftly moved his palms together, and Tien coiled his arms in the best defensive manner he could, focusing all his strength into his muscles. He didn't know if there was any way to over-saturate his defenses, but he would at least give it his dying effort.

"HYYAAAAAAHHHH!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Piccolo saw the fighter rush towards him; there was nothing he could do. "N-No!"

BRRRRRRGGGGHHH!

Yamcha's fist made firm contact with Piccolo's cheekbone, barely saving Tien from complete and utter annihilation; sending his would-be executer flying backwards. Time seemed to stop for a brief moment as Piccolo registered the shock of being hit by someone at what was his one chance of prevailing.

Not wasting a moment, Yamcha cupped his hands and brought them to his left hip, charging a brilliant pulsing blue beam of light that flared over the skyline of darkness. "KAMEHAMEHA!"

* * *

_All right! It feels awesome to crank out a chapter of this length, and I hope you weren't disappointed with the wait I unfortunately had to put you all through for it to happen. SotF's next update WILL be next Monday; it's mostly written out already. That was why I took the week off, I'm now able to write a chapter and then be nearly finished for next week. This should ensure weekly updates from now on. Enjoy the weekly updates, and my improved writing ability!_

_You'll notice that it's Sunday today; well, I figured that I owed it to my readers who have so diligently waited to update this a day early._

_I'm very excited to be releasing Chapter 12 next week—it'll be very eventful, as this chapter was. This chapter was extremely fun to write, and I hope it was a pleasure to read. I'm really looking forward to the reviews this chapter, so I would really appreciate you commenting! Thanks again!_

_There's only one comment that I feel I need to address about this chapter: Tien's Kaioken-enhanced punch. Prepare for an explanation._

_In the canonical series, when Goku raises his hand up and "catches" Nappa(breaking his back), I personally doubt that he would be able to cause so much damage with that attack. Of course, he'd just drilled Nappa in the back previously with both his fists, but I believe that Nappa would be able to continue battling Goku even after that, but there is a factor we need to consider; Goku may have been supplying his base with bursts of Kaioken. If you're interested, I have canon Goku at 8,000, and canon Nappa at 6,000. Why? Well, that'll be supplied in the official **Sins of the Father power level chapter! **It won't be for a bit, but it is in my plans. _

_Regardless, I personally feel that Goku used a bit of Kaioken power when he mortally wounded Nappa. Why did I want to address this? You'll understand when it happens, but something important has to do with this concept!_

_Piccolo: 6,500  
Tien: 6,500  
Tien(Kaioken, 50% boost): 9,750  
Goku: 58,000  
Yamcha: ?  
Gohan: ?  
__Swis: 40,000_

**Q**_: Its still an interesting take that's for sure, although these huge gaps in power have me worried for the good guys.  
_**A:**_ That's an excellent point! The Saiyans far outclass the Earthlings(and hybrid and Namekian, respectively) but they'll have their ways of keeping up._

_**Q:** Dodoria took Vegeta by surprise during their brief fight, which is understandable, but I would think Vegeta would still manage to curbstomp Dodoria regardless when they start fighting for real. In canon, the difference is like 24,000-22,000 (Vegeta is the first, Dodoria the second) and Vegeta dominates him there, but here it's 36,000 to 31,000, which is a MUCH bigger margin. I mean I don't know...something about that seems odd, maybe I'm just not getting it though.  
_**A:**_ That's an excellent question, but one that can easily be answered. Vegeta wasn't fully recovered when he briefly fought Dodoria, so he wasn't really at a "weakened" level. I probably should've given a number for his weakened power level, but I find it's far too difficult to confirm numbers for weakened states and attacks. There'll always be someone who disagrees with a weakened power level, and that's why I refrain from posting them._

**Q:**_ Vegito would be a nice early addition... *sighs* I'll never get a Vegito vs Freiza will I?_  
**A:**_ Not in this fanfiction. Vegito would far outclass Frieza even if Goku and Vegeta fused in the Saiyan Saga, though I wouldn't be able to give you a perfectly accuarate number for that early Vegito. At worst, probably like 247 million in base.  
_

**Q: **Dodoria_ 31k? What the hell? Oh... it's cause of Frieza's new PTO training program_ eh?  
**A:**_ Pretty much. In fact, he's about near Zarbon's level(at that time). Their power levels after the nine month time-skip will not be revealed any time soon, however—but do note that Zarbon has drastically improved as well._

**Q:**_ For me, Turles was far from even a moderately liked character from his movie appearance, but I really like what you've done with his character. He's menacing, under-handed, and an overall jerk AND I love every second of it. __My only qualm with your chapter is when Frieza thinks that Vegeta could possibly outrank his first form. Vegeta never stated that he was stronger than Cui's 27000, so how did Frieza know how strong Vegeta had gotten? Unless I'm missing something._

**A:**_ I'm glad you enjoy my Turles. He's a character I wanted to take from nothing and mold into a real character that could fit into a story.  
__Frieza could easily infer that Vegeta had far surpassed Cui by the way he spoke to him even after Cui revealed his new power level. He also knew that the Great Ape transformation is a 10x multiplier, so he just connected the dots._

**Q: **Wasn't_ Chapter 10 meant to be "The Death of Son_ Goku"?  
**A:**_ It was, but I decided that it'd be best to shelf it and publish it at a later date for a more significant meaning._

**Q:**_ I also wonder if Tien knows anything that has taken place during his time away and if he's aware of what Piccolo has done or not (it would depend on if he met up with Krillin in other world or not or if King Kai had noticed what was going on and informed him as it'd be a shame that Piccolo becomes the what they believe to be the enemy because he's covering for Gohan).  
_**A: **_As you can tell by Tien's actions this chapter, he did not meet Krillin in Otherworld. Also, I know you're hoping to see more of Gohan due to other comments in your review, and rest assured he'll be receiving a big role in this Saga. He may have been slighted for these past few chapters, but it was necessary to flesh out the plot. Gohan and Goku will become a lot more relevant in future chapters._

**Q:** _I'm kinda bummed that Vegeta lost his tail, but I understand where you're going from, I suppose. Thing is, I don't think Frieza would feel threatened by a Great Ape, considering that he'd be larger and easier to hit. To your argument, Vegeta(if he'd grown to say, 60,000) would max out over Frieza's first form. I wonder how you view Frieza's transformations in terms of increase, though I guess that'll be revealed eventually.  
_**A:** _Exactly, MV. You've hit the nail right on the head. As for how I view the Arcosian transformations, that'll be revealed once Frieza becomes a more prominent character—and trust me, he WILL be focused on a lot more in future chapters._

**Q:**_ Good chapter, and I have to admit I was surprised by Cui and Dodoria being as strong as they were. I notice that you haven't given us Frieza's power level, which interests me. I wonder how strong he has become.  
_**A:**_ I look forward to revealing that answer!_

**Q:**_ I'm surprised that Tien and Piccolo are on equal footing, though it makes sense. Unfortunately for Piccolo, I believe that Tien has full mastery of AT LEAST Kaioken x2, which would put him at 13,000 at worst.  
_**A:**_ This chapter isn't really an exact representation of where Tien lies on the Kaioken mastery scale, but we know he at least has the ability to ascend to Kaioken x2, as proved in Chapter VI. Whether he has full mastery over both levels(and possibly Kaioken x3) remains to be seen!_

**Q:**_ Something I want to comment on is your pacing. Quite frankly, I think it's great and leaves a lot for us to dissect each chapter. Personal preference would be 6-7K in content, but I recognize that you have to work your way up(as stated in your A/N of the new Chapter 1). This is a realistic and believable fanfiction, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it's in the top 5 current stories(along with Break Through the Limit, Bringer of Death, Honor Trip, and Dragonball Legends).  
_ **A: **Thanks_ for your compliments! Yes, I realized that with the weekly update schedule, I wouldn't be able to churn out extensive chapters like I want to. That's why I've taken the week off to write both this chapter AND write a lot of the next chapter in advance; that way I can stay ahead of the game and write extensive chapters. I apologise profusely for missing last week's update, but this ensures you'll see a chapter every Monday._

**Q:**_ Additionally, I was perplexed when perusing the sections detailing Turles's behavior on Planet Trawlfa. Is it not within PTO territory? Would it not have some sort of military garrison or prescence to deter wanton lawbreaking such as Turles exhibits? Even if it were exlcluded from the PTO, logically, it would have to possess some sort of law-enforcement, yet there is a noticeable lack of it.  
_**A:** _Well, I was going for the effect of "brains, but no brawn," but looking back on it, you're most likely correct; there should've been an elite fighter or a garrison of soldiers to assist them._

**Q:** _Are you going to keep posting the power levels? Good job by the way!  
_**A:**_ As stated before, I'll be posting all power levels of significance throughout the story. If I hold back any power levels in a chapter, they are spoiler content or simply haven't been introduced yet._

**Q:**_ Also, an issue I feel needs adressing, is the fact the two self-proclaimed main characters of this story, Goku and Gohan, have in fact received very little screentime in these past few chapters.  
_**A:** _That's definitely true, and as you can see, I'm doing my best to rectify that. I felt it was essential that I focused on the other characters first in order to be able to allow them to revolve more around Goku and Gohan. Trust me, they'll be receiving large roles from here on out, and that is a promise._

**Q:** _Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Goku need to be able to sense ki to use IT? You said he's pretty much forgotten that with the rest of his techniques, so I'm not exactly sure.  
_**A:**_ Excellent question! Quite honestly, I was going to supply this information in the author's commentary of this chapter(I admit to forgetting to address this back in Chapter 8, when it was introduced), but Goku—while definitely not as adept as he was with his memory—is able to sense energy levels. Of course, he mostly relies on his scouter, but he does have somewhat of an ability to do so._

**Q:**_ I wonder how much quicker Gohan will gain in power with him having major reasons to train that he didn't exactly have in cannon. Hes always had the power in him, I wonder if he will be able to control it better and not just have quick bursts of anger push his power to higher_ levels.  
**A: **When_ we focus in on Gohan a little more(which will be quite soon), I assure you we'll be seeing whether or not he can control his substantial amount of power._

**Q:**_ My biggest question is does Krillin know that it was Gohan who killed him or does he not know. And undoubtedly the truth will eventually come out_ yes?  
**A:**_ Good question! As of now, I haven't made reference to it, but yes, Krillin clearly knows that it was Gohan who killed him. Piccolo was fully conscious during the battle, and it was obvious that he'd fallen._

**Q_: _**_Great work as usual man. I am so happy that Kuririn is still in this. I can't wait for the results of Yamcha and Chiaotzu's training. I feel sorry that Piccolo is about to die. I certainly hope that this story ends up over 70 chapters long. It is also my wish that eventually the Super Saiyan God Forme will be implemented fir Vegeta. I'm curious as to if Turles (or Turtles as I say) will plant a Tree of Might on Namek. I can't wait for Cooler's appearance as he is my favorite villain. I'd like some DB fanfiction advice as well. I'd like to know HOW to plan it. Should I like use boxes and list possible wanted outcomes for events or what? I wanna be a great fanfiction writer too so... oh, and one last thing, I love how DK Piccolo mentioned Goten. I also wonder if he or Trunks will be born._**_  
_A**_**: **Well, to address your first comment, this story will be on-going for quite a long while. It's not an exaggeration to say that I'll most likely cross the 70 chapter mark with relative ease—it all depends on multiple factors, such as chapter length, extra plots, so on and so forth._  
_Your second comment: What I do is I create a document(or send an email to myself) and write out exactly what I want to happen in my stories. It's like what I did with my other story** Guardian,** I wrote up a full e-mail of my plans of the Saiyan Saga. I'm totally not trying to advertise __**Guardian **__or anything, by the way. Totally not.  
Super Saiyan God... I can almost guarantee you won't be seeing it in this story. Bills may or may not appear in SotF, but I promise there'll be no mention of SSJG unless I find a totally different way of incorporating it. _

_Thanks for your continued readership, and rest assured that you will be seeing an update next Monday—it's almost finished already. You can see my profile for details of my schedule, and it's been magnificent so far. Hope to see you on the next Sins of the Father!_


	12. Chapter XII: Innocence and Trust

_Be sure to check the author's commentary for a notification about SotF's next update!_

* * *

**Namek Saga – Part 3: Innocence and Trust**

Gone was the warrior that was filled with trepidation and anxiety with the prospect of battle. Gone was the fighter that held ample amounts of cowardice and mousiness. In his place was a man full of courage and determination; a man who would be willing to do anything and everything for the planet he so dearly loved.

That sole reason was what made him yearn to be the one clashing with Piccolo for the fate of the Earth.

It just wasn't fair to him; he was barely given the time of day. He wasn't perturbed by the fact that he'd lost quite the number of fights before; he completely acknowledged that it was his apathetic outlook that was his downfall in the past. But now, after such a refinement to his persona had been made, he just didn't understand why everyone mocked him.

THUUUUUUMM! Yamcha was snapped out of his thoughts by the maelstrom of energy that caused tremors in the air, vibrating through the landscape and causing a rock formation to keel over on its side.

Throughout the battle, Yamcha observed as Tien and Piccolo exchanged dominance of their battle. From his estimates, the fighters were just about equal, though Tien's training seemed to give him the extra advantage he needed to maintain control of the battle.

Suddenly, all hope seemed to be lost for the triclops when he lay pathetically at Piccolo's display of his unique fighting ability. Unconsciously, part of Yamcha was pleased to see the dimensional-traveling human sprawled on the wasteland, though the other side of him—the part of him that cared deeply for his friends—told him to jump in and assist Tien.

Unfortunately for the compassionate side of Yamcha, the brazen warrior won out within him, and so he stilled himself, his feet rooted to the ground. If Tien was 'all that' as his persona dictated he was, Yamcha felt he needed to prove himself—just as he'd done with Kami, and most importantly, himself. He knew that the human had that crimson technique he'd displayed before. As a result, the fighter was far from astonished when Tien began to summon up his Kaioken technique.

_I've got to learn how to pull that off… _Yamcha internally mused. _Without it, I'll never be able to catch up to Tien._ Already, the human was sizing up his ally as somewhat of a threat—he'd become far too skeptical of his peers as of late.

He was snapped back to reality when he felt hundreds of small energy levels materalize in the atmosphere above. This time, Yamcha couldn't inhibit his shock at the predicament Tien had waded his way into. _T-Tien…_

Finally, the compassionate side of the morally conflicted human finally broke through, and he dashed forward with renewed resolve.

Out of the corner of his eye, Piccolo saw the fighter rush towards him. In that moment, he cursed himself for not keeping a diligent eye out for his other foe. "N-No!"

_BRRRRRRGGGGHHH! _Yamcha's fist made firm contact with Piccolo's cheekbone, sending the would-be executer of Tien barreling backwards. Time seemed to stop as Piccolo registered the shock of being hit by someone at what was his one chance of prevailing.

Not wasting a moment, Yamcha cupped his hands and brought them to his left hip, charging a brilliant pulsing blue beam of light that flared over the sky of darkness. "KAMEHAMEHA!"

* * *

Traversing through space was never one of Vegeta's pastimes or hobbies. He absolutely loathed being caged up in a miniscule pod like he was now with no way of escape. Had Frieza been around to see him off, the term monkey would've fit perfectly as a derogatory comment—he felt a vein begin throbbing violently on his forehead as a result of the thought.

Most of the time, in a situation like this, many of the soldiers in the Planet Trade Organization would activate the sleeping gas that would take their minds out of the excruciating mental hell that was the infinite realm of space. However, Vegeta was far too proud to resort to such a method now. Tangling with death and surviving as many times as he did, the prince vowed that he wouldn't let something as trivial as sleeping gas subdue him. He wanted—no, he _needed_—to be alert at all times. If ever an enemy was to discover a space pod like his, he would have to be able to quickly retaliate with a counter-attack.

It wasn't the first time Vegeta had been angered by his low status in Frieza's army. He needed something more grandiose, something that was fit for a royal prince such as himself. Vegeta knew the first few things he'd be acquiring: a gravity chamber, a garrison of henchmen, and his own pool—a prince was nothing if he couldn't enjoy simple pleasantries every now and then.

Of course, another fault with the pods were their tendency to malfunction. As Kakarott had proven with his journey to Spatios nine months ago, these ancient pods were functioning on their last wires. There was no doubt in Vegeta's mind that Frieza had given he and his fellow Saiyan cohorts such feeble technology as a sign of inferiority to him and his mighty followers.

"Frieza,_" _ Vegeta rolled his right palm into a fist, charging small tendrils of energy within his fingertips. "…You'll pay…for everything…"

Not just him, however. Vegeta knew from snooping in on Frieza's calls that he had a brother—an elder named Cooler. After his inevitable ascension to the ranks of the Super Saiyan, he'd destroy Frieza and target his brother next. While one would question why Vegeta thought so far ahead into the future, they certainly hadn't considered that he was a man raised with a one-track mind. The prince was raised with the intention of slaying Frieza; the thought dominated nearly his entire consciousness. Afterwards, he would be praised with the title he'd fantasized of his whole life: Lord Vegeta.

The thought made him crack a grin. Nobody was more fit than him to overthrow Frieza—the malicious Arcosian had every reason to fall by his hand. And indeed he would, in time. But, as he'd told Kakarott and Raditz in that fateful conference, he doubted it was likely to happen in the foreseeable future.

From how drastically Zarbon had improved—which he always made sure to demonstrate to him and Kakarott whenever possible—he had far transcended Vegeta yet again. That fact alone was reason for worry. Had Frieza made such an amelioration as well?

There was one thing for sure, whenever Vegeta became ruler of the Empire, he wouldn't leave loose ends in his reign. No matter how powerful he became, he couldn't risk the possibly of a rebellion. Just like he'd done with Frieza, he knew many would detest his rule. In order to be able to counter such a threat, Vegeta knew he wouldn't have the opportunity to rest on his laurels—he'd have to man up and tackle the problem head-on.

These thoughts and more were what almost always accompanied Vegeta in his voyages across the stars, and it was likely they would never cease until Frieza lay beneath his boot.

* * *

"Run for your lives!"

"They're monsters!"

"Help! I'm stuck!"

Three miniscule sphere of energy were carelessly fired into the heart of the settlement, causing three more lives to be snuffed out with nothing more than a blood-curdling shriek.

"Do the honors for me, would you?" The figure commanded lazily, wiping dust off of his indigo armor. He didn't have the time to stick around and dawdle; there were still many more planets to conquer before Turles could consider putting his plan into full-motion.

The man—or rather, cyborg—next to him let out a fierce cackle. "With pleasure!"

Two fingers were lifted upwards, and the settlement burst into flames, all but destroyed. It was certain that the area around them was completely desolated; regardless, the smaller figure of the two decided to traverse the embers to ensure not a single mortal was left alive. There was no way he'd repeat the foolish mistake of allowing even one soul to live. He'd been given a second chance by the ones above, and he wasn't going to be wasting it by any means necessary.

"Nappa… your scanners are best to determinate if any life forms are still breathing." The apparent boss of the two turned to the bulky cyborg, crossing his arms. Subconsciously, he felt a small flame begin to sear his skin, but he immediately rectified that by flickering his aura, which repelled the embers backward. "Well?"

"No life found here, Turles." Nappa's mechanical voice was odd—much smoother than before, yet it seemed to have a robotic feel to it. "Looks like we did a thorough job here."

"Good." Turles' eyes seemed to gleam with malicious intent in the blaze of darkness. "With every planet, we grow stronger… now, I have no doubt in our ability to crush Zarbon and Dodoria!" To emphasize his word choice, he clenched his hand into a fist, rolling his fingers around before finally gaining a good grip.

"Then why don't we just invade and attack?" queried Nappa. The question caused Turles to roll his eyes. Nappa had his intelligible moments, but he was glad he was the main brain in their alliance.

"If we made our move, Frieza would most likely crush us. That's not to say that we can't handle whatever henchmen he throws our way, however. We should most likely set up a recon on him to gather more intelligence before jumping into battle." Turles crossed his arms. "Sound like a plan to you?"

"Let's do it!" Nappa approved, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. _You're gonna pay for what you did, Vegeta… _

* * *

"KAMEHAMEHA!"

The large spiraling cascade of energy shot forth from Yamcha's palms, rocketing forward with an intensity and vigor the human had never fired the blast with before. Even with the power difference between Yamcha and Piccolo, there was no chance for the Namekian to escape the brunt of the beam unscathed.

"NOOOO!" came the holler of a courageous young warrior, causing the cascade of shocking events to continue. In almost an exact replication of Piccolo's movements, Yamcha turned his head to the right and—

BAAAAAMMMMM!

The child's foot made firm contact with the side of Yamcha's head, sending him spiraling towards the ground. As a result, the powerful energy contained inside the human's Kamehameha wave dispelled into the atmosphere, but that was the least of his concerns at this particular moment.

A feral Gohan, blazing with anger, had seen enough of his friend being maimed by the bald man. Piccolo had promised that he'd protect him from anything and everything that life threw his way, but the hybrid had always felt horrible about such a vow. The Namekian had already done so much for him; he'd given him a home, given him a lifestyle… but most of all, he'd given the young child a friend.

It was a new sensation for him. Back when he was home, back at East District Four-Thirty-Nine, he'd never really had someone he could call a friend. Of course, back then, he'd had his parents, but Chi-Chi was too abrasive and too directed on her ideal world of Gohan becoming a scholar. Goku, while much less focused on such petty things, wasn't really the most fit parent for Son Gohan. His heart was in the right place, but the Saiyan was far too aloof to realize that Gohan felt somewhat lonely.

Yes, he felt quite sheltered, but the main factor was certainly not because of his isolated location on Mount Paozu. If anything, it was the dysfunctional marriage Goku and Chi-Chi possessed. His parents certainly felt deep affection for each other, but neither knew how to properly convey it—whether it be through their time together or discussions about their offspring, the two just couldn't seem to click.

It seemed as if the boy could write it in a script; Chi-Chi would become hostile over Gohan's studying habits, Goku would retaliate by saying the kid needed a break sometimes, and Gohan wished that he would be able to appease both his mother and father. He'd usually find himself cowering in his room, hitting the books silently.

Of course, that was all before he met Piccolo. Unlike his mother, Piccolo wasn't one to borderline obsess on a particular aspect. One might've thought that the boy's excessive training had hindered his overall studying over the past year. While that was certainly true, he'd told Piccolo about all the historical landmarks he'd studied, and Piccolo would take him to said spot, allowing the boy to learn in a unique opportunity his mother hadn't allowed him to experience.

Like every martial artist, there were things that Gohan was unable to grasp quite clearly. While the boy had learned to be able to fly under his own power, he was still a novice when it came to sensing and manipulating energy. Piccolo had worked with him closely in order to gain more experience with the aforementioned techniques, but the boy made very little progress. If there was one word to describe Piccolo, it was patient.

He didn't know when it was that he'd begun considering Piccolo a friend, but he knew that without him, Gohan wouldn't be half the person he was today.

And he _refused _to lose him.

Piccolo had told him that martial arts were only to be utilized in three scenarios—for sparring purposes, for hunting in the wilderness, and for defending the people he cared about.

This scenario certainly fell into the third category.

While he was certainly timid and fearful about fighting the scarred warrior in front of him, he dashed forward with a brazen resolve. "LEAVE MY FRIEND ALONE!"

CRRRAAAACCK! Gohan's fist firmly connected with Yamcha's arm, nearly fracturing the bone itself. As a result, Yamcha shrieked in pain, and—without thinking—backhanded the child sideways and towards the ground, where he landed with a fierce THUUUDDDDDDD.

* * *

Tien gaped as he watched the events occur, one by one, a twist seemingly following with every passing moment. However, he noticed that the multitude of spheres around him had faded away due to Piccolo's lack of concentration, and he forced himself to look away and focus on the task at hand.

"Y-Yamcha… thank you…" he muttered, unaware if the weakened fighter could hear him. "And as for you…" he turned to the now-recovered Piccolo, who had begun to heave heavily. "You're not getting away! Hyaah!"

The illuminating power of the Kaioken filled Tien's body once more, and he dashed forward, his arm tilted backwards for what appeared to be a mighty punch.

Piccolo, anticipating the blow, quickly summoned a reserve of energy, forming his ki into the shape of a luminous bolt of power. No matter how much the human outclassed him, no matter how arduous this battle would be, the Namekian was unwilling to give in.

"YOU WON'T HAVE HIM!" He hurled the energy towards Tien, hoping, pleading, that it would be enough to make a difference in the battle.

Unfortunately, his attempt was met with failure; Tien had been able to deflect it harmlessly with his other palm while continuing his flight path. _This isn't faring well… I need to stop him and save Goku's son!_

At last, they met, and Piccolo quickly threw a roundhouse kick towards Tien to block his punch, but it was a feint; Tien drew his arm backwards to evade the strike, quickly connecting his own foot with Piccolo's neck, causing a loud CRRRAAAACCK.

The sheer brutality of the blow sent Piccolo careening to the left, his neck snapped to the side. At last, Piccolo regained awareness and stopped himself in mid-air, much to the chagrin of Tien, who had just prepared to leap after the Namekian before he'd reassumed balance in the atmosphere.

Much to the triclops' disappointment, he hadn't made as much leeway with the Kaioken as he thought he had. Being in the Other World—a dimension where time was slowed greatly and bodies were more durable—must've coaxed his eager mind into thinking he'd gained complete mastery of the Kaioken state. His current state of mind had revealed a horrifying truth; Tien still had much more to go with the mystical source of power before perfecting it.

As it stood now, this battle would be over in less than five minutes, regardless of the victor. Without Kaioken, Tien knew he would be unable to match Piccolo's overwhelming power; with it, he would be able to secure the victory with a few more clean blows. It all rested on these few moments.

A thought came to him in this bleak and dire moment. _Should I go even further beyond? I don't know how long I'll be able to hold a Kaioken times two with this condition, but I just might have to try…_

The human's time was up; there was not another moment to think or breathe. Tien felt his body begin to tucker out at the magnificent strain the Kaioken exuded on his powerful body. While he still could maintain the power he was currently outputting, albeit with a modicum of fatigue, he needed to end this fight as soon as possible.

Piccolo cracked his neck back into place, rearing backwards into his patented fighting stance. "I'm not going to give in!"

_His stance… _Tien sized up the Namekian in his mind, analyzing every aspect of his configuration. _It's a defensive stance… that means he knows I'm running out of stamina. This doesn't bode well… _

"_KAIOKEN TIMES TWO!"_

* * *

"Brother?"

The armored Saiyan looked upwards, meeting his fellow soldier's gaze. "Raditz." His voice was stoic, devoid of any emotion—he'd had to learn such a facial expression shortly after being inducted into this organization.

"What're you doing here? There's food down at the mess hall. If we hurry, we can grab something before we report to Frieza."

"…If we hurry?" responded the Saiyan, standing upwards and leaning against the wall. "Why would we need to hurry?"

Ashamed, the space pirate bowed his head. He knew what his brother was getting at, but it couldn't happen—not now of all times. "You know why, Goku. I don't need to explain it to you any further."

"Because Zarbon and Dodoria are put on guard to ensure we get only the scraps." Goku's facial mask slightly cracked, his eyes showing more and more rage by the minute. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"O-Of course it does, bu-"

"Then why are we taking this lying down, Raditz? You and I both know we outclass the majority of Frieza's men. Plus, don't we, as Saiyans, require more nourishment than others to sustain ourselves?" Though his anger was beginning to simmer, he never once broke his gaze with his brother—yet another skill he'd had to pick up rather quickly.

Seeing that he was beginning to get through to his elder brother, Goku pressed onwards. "Wouldn't it feel nice to have a full stomach? Wouldn't it be a refreshing change if we didn't have to feed off of the ones we kill, just to feel a simple fraction of hunger fade away?"

"If you're suggesting that we storm them," Raditz began, then paused for a brief moment to double check his surroundings. Once he deduced no one was in their close proximity, he continued onward. "You're a fool, Goku. Frieza would give us the beating of our lives."

"Exactly!" Goku grinned, a glint appearing in his blue-tinted eye. "As Saiyans, we'll become stronger than ever before! Our power will skyrocket, and we'll be that much closer to overthrowing Frieza!"

Suddenly, Raditz's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped open from shock. His body began to convulse in absolute fear, and, what was even worse—he was staring at him.

"What's wrong with you?" queried Goku, quickly darting his eyes over his left shoulder. _That's peculiar..._ "There's nobody here… what's got you so worked up?"

"Y-your sc-scouter…" stuttered the Saiyan, pointing towards his brother's left eye.

"What about it?" the Earth-raised Saiyan questioned, moving his hand to his eye to take it off. Un-attaching from his ear, he held it at eye level to further examine it. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

Then, with horror, the spiky-haired warrior read what was on the scouter.

"_Transmission intercom—Lord Frieza, scouter #1"_

"_You two are brave, I'll give you that…"_ hissed the voice of the enraged tyrant. _"If you're so confident in facing me… why don't we settle this right now?"_

A high-pitched blare began to reverberate around the normally reticent—yet tenacious—atmosphere Planet Frieza 79's main spaceship, flashes of a crimson red shining all across the ship.

With only a moment, the two brothers exchanged looks of apprehension. They had to make their move within the next few moments; otherwise, everything they'd worked for, had strived for, would utterly vanish. The legacy of the Saiyan race would never be discussed ever again; if so, only to describe them as pitiful warriors who fell to the hand of an Arcosian.

Even if their perspectives on the situation were different, Goku and Raditz could agree to not let their heritage die out on them that day. They would fight as proud warriors, and even if they were to lose, they'd die with dignity.

They nodded towards each other, then silently raised their palms towards the mess hall. The time to act was now; there was no turning back any longer.

"You ready for this?" asked Goku, hearing the cries of Frieza's grunts barreling towards them from the closed doors.

"We have no choice," replied his brother, his form trembling with what seemed to be a combination of anxiety and adrenaline. "W-What're we going to do? Even if, by some chance, we escape this planet, where do we go?"

"Heh heh…" lowly chuckled the spiky-haired Saiyan. "I was sort of hoping you'd have something in mind for that one, brother."

If he'd had the time to, Raditz would've unloaded a plethora of choice words upon his brother. However, the doors were just beginning to open abreast them, leaving him no time to speak.

"If we die…" whispered Goku, an azure sphere of ki forming in his palm. "We die as Saiyans."

"And if we live…" muttered back Raditz, forming his own indigo sphere in his hand, "I'll kill you afterwards..."

BZZZZZZTT! Goku and Raditz unleashed their blasts with a combined shout, watching as they arced through the air before detonating against the metallic doors. The resulting explosion caused smoke to rise and fill the hallway, ultimately shielding the brothers from view as they began dashing in the opposite direction.

* * *

As he regained conscious thought, Yamcha was mortified by his actions. He'd just backhanded the son of Earth's savior, Son Goku. How _dare _he even hit a child?! Swallowing nervously, he descended towards the ground, landing with a soft TUP. Slowly, he fearfully approached the child, not wanting to believe that there was a chance he was responsible for murdering an innocent boy.

"Y-You okay?" The warrior timidly spouted, placing a trembling hand on the child's back. His anger seemed to have dissipated the moment he laid eyes on the impaired child. "I'm sorry… just please don't be hurt…"

"S-Stop…" mumbled the small child, groaning in agony. "I-I told you…" A bright translucent aura seemed to envelop the boy, until it eventually spread to enshroud the human in its vortex, "…TO LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

FWOOOOSHHHHHH!

Howls of wind began to swirl around the fighters, until an ear-splicing shriek from the distressed child finally caused the maelstrom of power to discharge in the immediate vicinity, ultimately flinging Yamcha backwards to land face-down in the earthy soil.

Gohan stood, his body trembling with enraged energy he hadn't been able to bring out before. Somehow, fate had given him this chance to repay Piccolo for his graciousness, and he wouldn't fail his guardian no matter what. This bully had to pay!

"RAAAHH!" Another primal scream from the young boy was the moment's notice Yamcha received; the next moment, he found himself being wildly smacked backwards by a direct punch to the face. Shortly afterwards, he was quickly knocked off his feet by the small child, then was quickly sent hurtling into the sky by a jump-kick to the ribs.

Gohan leapt into the air afterwards, summoning his inner energy to generate a sphere of azure light in his right palm. Though it was unstable and flickering with each foot of altitude he gained, the hybrid wasn't about to let his opponent hold any sort of advantage over himthe hybrid wasn't about to let his opponent hold any sort of advantage over him—the boy was far from a skilled veteran of harnessing and manipulating energy.

Unfortunately, hope and determination, as Gohan's foe had learned painfully, was not always enough to persevere in where one was weak.

The ki ball fizzled out into nothingness, yet Gohan ignored it; he was far too focused on his target to notice such a petty thing.

"RAH!" Gohan re-engaged with Yamcha, thrusting his kneecap towards his opponent's chest. However, Yamcha had seen the flaw in Gohan's flight position, and had braced himself for impact by crossing his arms in an x-like formation.

Gohan then attempted to capitalize on his plan; he raised his right hand to blast Yamcha in his exposed face, which was when he realized that his energy had mysteriously faded away. Though he was stunned, Gohan wasn't about to let that revelation cost him the battle, as shown when the hybrid snapped his small fist forwards, though Yamcha threw his head back to avoid it.

Concentrating his strength, Yamcha applied pressure to his crossed arms, which shot forward and pushed Gohan downwards harmlessly. As a result, the hybrid was sent drifting backwards, but he quickly regained control of his equilibrium in a matter of moments.

_I-I can't hit him… _Yamcha panted, shaking his arms to try and regain full feeling in them. _I just can't hurt an innocent child, no matter if I have to stop Piccolo…_

He was quickly snapped out of his daze by Gohan's swift roundhouse kick, which caught him from above and sent him spiraling downwards. Quickly, the hybrid hurried after him with a translucent aura enveloping his body, hammering powerful blows to the fighter's stomach as they descended downwards to the ground.

Quickly devising a plan, Yamcha tightened his abdomen, trying to null Gohan's frenzy of attacks the best he could. Once, twice, thrice, and his planned course of action still couldn't be implemented.

Suddenly, Yamcha's plan would come to fruition as his observant eye spotted the ground. _Now!_

He gripped Gohan's wrists, and used his body to absorb the brunt of the fall—clearly, Gohan hadn't accounted for the damage the fall would've caused him—placing his feet on the child's tender abdomen, and kicked upwards and over, executing a perfect monkey-flip maneuver that sent the hybrid spiraling into the air.

As he stood, Yamcha wiped dust and soot off of his orange uniform. Faintly, he knew that this battle was turning out to be a stalemate; no progress was being made on either side.

_But what do I do?_ He asked himself, tensing himself for a round of quick action. _I'm never going to hit a child again—never! Especially Goku's kid…_

Gohan landed on the ground, pivoted on his heel, and took off towards his opponent once more, dust accumulating in the area behind his flight. Yamcha didn't fail to notice that, and quickly rushed forward and cloaked himself in the blinding substance, throwing a ki ball downwards in order to expand the pillar of smoke and dust that was encompassing the fighter's immediate vicinity.

Knowing that his opponent wasn't skillful at energy sensing, Yamcha used this chance to rise upward into the air, grimacing heavily over the blows he was just recently dealt. _N-No… how could this be? Why's Goku's kid siding with Piccolo? Why can't things go right, just once?!_ _Hell, he isn't even Goku's kid anymore; he's the spawn of Piccolo!_

Realization dawned on him.

He'd never be able to lay a serious hand on Goku's child without feeling sick to his stomach, so the child below him was no longer said person. No, now he was a demon from the depths of hell.

A demon that needed to be stopped.

Forcing his stop in the air, Yamcha dashed downwards to meet Gohan, whose fist was reared back for a wild fist. Shakily, the scar-faced bandit drew his own fist, but nearly retracted it due to the sight of Gohan forcing its way through his conscious.

However, the human was able to repress it and bring forth a mental image of Piccolo baring his fangs, which made him feel no shame when his fist collided with Gohan's, causing a draft to begin throughout the atmosphere.

Both fighters struggled for a moment, before Yamcha, being the more experienced warrior, drew his fist back and waited for Gohan's erratic attack pattern to continue. His plan would pay off when Gohan launched a flurry of punches, most of them being swiftly evaded by the human; he was finding this far too easy.

"Hyah!" Yamcha cried out, blocking Gohan's kick with his forearm before punching the child directly on his forehead; the impact forced the hybrid flying backwards until he was able to re-stabilize himself.

Ever the opportunist, the human cupped his hands to his right hip before charging an azure flare of lost in his perverse delusion of the child being his nemesis, Yamcha summoned his aura and shouted vigorously, "THIS IS FOR EVERYTHING! KAMEHAMEHA!"

Unnerved by the powerful blast of energy, Gohan's intrinsic human nature broke through his persona. Unfortunately for his well-being, this left him paralyzed; he could only watch as the beam arced through the air and approached him with a howling roar.

* * *

"_KAIOKEN TIMES TWO!"_

Tien's figure seemed to bulk slightly, and a vein began throbbing on his muscular left arm as a result of oversaturating his muscles. Still though, it was what he needed to win; he couldn't lose here. This, he told himself, was the very reason that he spent all his time training.

However, when he looked upwards at his foe, he expected to see a look of desperation and realization. That was not to be, as Piccolo seemed to have completely disregarded him for what was apparently some beautiful sight in the air.

The triclops didn't take too kindly to that, dashing forward with a primal battle cry. This shout of primal power seemed to be what snapped the Namekian out of his daze, because he quickly thrust his hand forwards and fired a blast towards the human, which he raised his hand to block with minimal effort.

In a clear display of skill and concentration, Piccolo then flicked his other palm forwards, vaporizing the first blast with a smaller pulse of energy. The explosion that erupted from the combination of energy blasts not only caused damage to Tien's abdomen, but blinded the Namekian from view.

Grunting, the human tried to dispel the debris by flaring his jagged aura, knowing that his time was running out with the mystical source of power. _Come on… I can't let him get away…_

Piccolo looked upwards, appalled by the sight. _Yamcha's gone over the deep end—Gohan'll die if that hits him!_ "Rgh…" Snarling, the Namekian bolted forward like a cannon, rushing forward to protect his protégé from the azure energy blast.

"You won't get away!" shouted Tien from the pillar of smoke, beginning to succeed in his task of clearing away the debris.

Knowing he had little time to act, the warrior donning purple put on an extra burst of agility, desperately pleading with the heavens above to allow him to save what he considered to be the most valuable thing in his existence.

Fate didn't appear to be on his side, as proved when a muscular hand gripped the green fighter's shin. Turning around, Piccolo saw a strained Tien, trying to keep a firm grip on the Namekian's leg.

Growling, the redeemed warrior raised his hand and delivered a swift chop to the human's cheekbone, though it only caused him to flinch slightly. Raising his hand, Piccolo repeated the motion, this time getting Tien's skull to snap backwards.

A third chop received the desired effect; Tien was forced to let go of Piccolo's leg, and was left prone to a double-booted strike to the abdomen, which sent him crashing into the ground with a loud THHHHAAACK.

Knowing that last strike had been enough to sedate the human for now, the Namekian tried to add an extra flare to his energy as a fuel boost, but he realized that he wouldn't make it in time.

Fearing the worst, Piccolo looked up, paralyzed and stunned. What he saw would be an absolute shock to him for the rest of his life…

* * *

"M-Mr. Piccolo…" Gohan's voice cracked, unable to handle the fear and pressure that came with a real-life battle. Spars with Mr. Piccolo he could handle, but this blast looked like it could really hurt the poor child. He was truly paralyzed, unable to do anything to stop his imminent demise.

When, suddenly, a thought shot across his mind. If he were to die now, his training would've been all for naught. All the strength he worked for, whether it be for self-protection or to battle the Saiyans, would no longer matter. Son Goku would be forever clueless about the whereabouts of his son, never to realize that his son was no longer in the mortal world.

These thoughts, as atrocious it was for them to be cultivated in a child's mind, fueled Son Gohan to extend his palms and scream to the heavens as he charged a pulsing yellow blast of energy. "MASENKO…HA!"

BZZZT! The roaring maelstrom of energy raced out of the hybrid's trembling palms, immediately grazing against the Kamehameha and causing a loud explosion of energy to ring out across the land. A power struggle began to ring out between the two fighters, both equal in determination. Yamcha's goal was to sate his twisted lust for revenge; Gohan's motivation was to live to reunite with his father. Neither of the two were willing to accept defeat as they pushed forwards, the disturbance beginning to outline the sky in a radiant orange hue. Shortly afterwards, bolts of lightning began to strike the sky from above, causing wild turbulence in the air.

Both beams were intense; so much so, in fact, that neither beam gained or lost any ground. The blasts raged on, pushing against each other with every fiber of energy it held.

The struggle seemed as if it could remain for all of eternity, until finally, one's resolve surpassed another.

With an extra push, the Masenko's golden light began to overpower the azure hue of the Kamehameha wave, consuming it as it sped towards Yamcha with a howling roar. All the fighter could do in defense was raise his arms to guard, though it proved ineffective; the blast slammed into his forearms and forced him upwards. The crackling beam of energy carried him higher and higher into the air, breaking through the troposphere and straight into the mesosphere. It seemed as if the beam was destined to exile him from the planet before utterly consuming his body into nothing more than dust.

Gohan tried to continue to motivate himself, tried to keep his optimism… but he was just too fatigued in order to do so. His arms faltered and fell limply to his sides, the energy from his Masenko ultimately dissipating in the air. _I-I can't… keep… this… up…_

Darkness enveloped the child as he began to freefall towards the ground, unconscious.

* * *

As the child fell from the sky, Piccolo's gaze never left him. The Namekian was stunned; the young child had given his entire heart and soul into defeating his foe, ultimately prevailing.

The kid had done exactly as his mentor taught him, and said mentor couldn't be more proud of his pupil if he tried. Emotion began to swirl within the pits of his stomach, running through him like never before. Before, Piccolo had been able to feel small tinges of pride and respect for the young child, but it paled in comparison to what he was feeling at this very moment. The sensation of knowing he'd successfully equipped Gohan to be able to defend himself was absolutely enthralling.

Absorbed in these feelings, Piccolo levitated upwards and caught the young child in his arms, giving him a small smirk of approval. _You did good, kid… you did good._

For one whole year, Son Gohan had always wanted his father to be brought home. Yet, while he hadn't realized it until a few moments prior, there was another thing he so desperately craved: friendship.

Gohan dreamed of knowing he had someone to talk with. Knowing someone to play with. Someone to pass the time with. Someone to comfort him while he lamented over his father.

All these voids had been filled by Piccolo at this very moment, who swore to himself that he would never leave the young child again.

He hadn't realized how quickly that promise would be broken.

* * *

"YAAAAH!"

Horrified, Piccolo turned his gaze upwards—but it was too late.

THHAAACK! Tien's reverse-headkick from above connected firmly with Piccolo's skull, sending both mentor and student spiraling downwards with the full intensity of the human's remaining strength.

Piccolo smashed into the ground, his body broken and battered. His skull painfully throbbed from his foe's kick; it felt as if multiple comets had fallen out of the sky and struck him with full precision.

Yet, though he was paralyzed, Piccolo still kept a firm grip on his pupil, unwilling to let him be injured any further. If he were to die today, he would at least ensure the preservation of Gohan.

Sadly though, fate would once again defy his wishes.

His arms trembled and began to relinquish their grip on the young hybrid; his head pounded with an intensity like never before—not even his father had been able to cause him such a pain, whether it be physical or mental.

The final blow was dealt when his grip was finally broken by his fatigue, causing Gohan to fall to his teacher's side. In that moment, Piccolo felt as if his soul had been sliced into two, though this was unlike any fusion: without Kami, he would perish, but without Gohan, his life would be forever a scar upon his olive skin.

As his arm reached out to grasp the young boy's shoulder softly, he suddenly felt a sharp pain jolt through his abdomen—Tien had lunged downwards and driven his knee into the aforementioned area.

Unable to handle the searing pain, the Namekian let out a powerful shout of agony as Tien stepped off of him, his arms instinctively drawing towards his stomach in order to try and quell the damage inflicted upon him.

"It's over, Piccolo." Tien turned his gaze off of Piccolo for a brief moment to stare at Gohan's unconscious form, rather stunned with the boy's impressive accolade of defeating Yamcha. _That boy's got real power—much more than his father ever did at that age. Will he become hostile if I kill Piccolo here and now?_ The last thing he wanted to do was provoke the boy's anger, especially when he was in such a weakened state.

However, now wasn't the time for such thoughts—now was the time for retribution. Looming over Piccolo, Tien raised his arm in order to deliver the final strike. "NOW YOU PAY!" He shouted, summoning a jagged aura around his hand and bringing it downwards to end the green-skinned fighter for all of eternity.

Suddenly, the magnificent red hue of his aura died out, and when Tien's strike made contact with Piccolo, it did little more than knock him into unconsciousness.

"Haaah… haaah…" panted the human fighter, his body all of a sudden feeling much more drowsy and fatigued than ever before. It was clear that he no longer had the energy to dispatch of Piccolo quite easily, though he wasn't able to let that stop him from enacting his revenge upon the mortally wounded warrior.

Tien extended his finger, drawing upon a small amount of energy within him and allowing it to manifest into a small, piercing ray of golden light. _This is it…_

"Mmgh…"

The fighter had been so concentrated on his Dodon Ray that he'd canceled out the rest of the world, but the child's soft groan of semi-consciousness broke such focus; the light of the Dodon Ray soon dispelled itself into the particles of the air.

"M-Mr. Piccolo…" muttered the child, still unaware of his surroundings. "A-Are you there…?"

Tien, while surprised to hear the child's voice, didn't allow it to detract from his focus. Once again, he pointed his finger towards Piccolo's heart and gathered his energy, keeping his eyes on his foe—he wouldn't allow any underestimation result in utter failure.

"I… just wanted to say… thank you."

If his concentration had been broken before, this completely threw Tien's mind for a spin. _W-What is he-_

"Thanks fo-for… taking care of m-me…" shakily stuttered the hybrid, beginning to sit upwards. However, his injuries were far too great for his body to endure, and he found himself collapsing to the ground once more.

_H-He… took care of him? _Tien gaped at the realization, absolutely shocked beyond belief—there was no way that the demon beneath his feet could ever be capable of kindness.

"…E-Even whe-when you didn't have t-to…" continued the child donning purple, struggling to form coherent sentences. "D-Daddy may b-be go-go-gone… but yo-you're nice, Mr. Pic-colo."

With each word he heard from his rival's son, Tien began to feel conflicted about his foe's morality. Gohan's father, the legendary Son Goku, had seen a glimmer of hope for him. From Gohan's perspective, Piccolo _had_ made a change.

However, one was a naïve warrior who saw the good in everyone; the other was a young child that couldn't make the differentiation between benevolence and malevolence. Were their opinions to be trusted?

…_Then again, Goku was both a child and naïve; if not for that… I'd still be a heinous villain…_ recalled Tien, his mind beginning to feel an abundance of doubt and skepticism cloud his consciousness. As each second passed, new thoughts began to clash with the old, resulting in a morally conflicted triclops.

Suddenly, he noticed his finger begin to waver, uncertain of what to do. The energy was there; it waited for its keeper's command, but that was no longer the issue.

"I-I don't know if you ca-can he-ar me now, Mr. Picco-lo… bu-but…tha-thanks for e-everything…" whispered the boy, allowing the darkness to take him as he fell into a state of unconsciousness.

"N-ngh…" Tien groaned, beads of sweat sliding down his face from both physical and mental fatigue. What was he to do? He held Piccolo's life in the tip of his right index finger—would he extinguish it, or would he preserve it?

The decision was made.

He was not the overseer of eternity. As such, he wasn't responsible for life and death. He was not the one who judged souls, whether they be of righteous deeds or corrupt tyranny.

Son Goku, the man who had helped him see the error of his ways, would've spared Piccolo yet again. While he wouldn't do so himself, he realized that each life, each soul—they all had a reason for living.

Piccolo had helped the young boy, that much was clear. He'd given him a friend unlike any other; he was someone who would protect Gohan and help him learn.

Yet again, Son Goku had been right: Piccolo wasn't that terrible after all.

* * *

He expected to find himself on the cold, unforgiving ground as he stirred awake, though his current predicament was quite the contrary. Over him were a few hastily put-together blue blankets, and the mattress underneath him felt as if it'd been prepared no more than a second ago.

Although his mind encouraged him to open his eyes further and discover his surroundings, his body was far too broken to even consider giving him that modicum of energy.

"Are you awake?" came a gruff voice—though it sounded rather menacing, there seemed to be an underlying tone of friendliness embedded within it.

The figure in the bed could do no more than groan lightly, his strength proving to be useless for anything other than staying awake. "Mgh…"

"My apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eighter."

* * *

_So, this match has come to an end, with Tien being the ultimate victor. There's been a lot of controversy with this battle—both in story and out of story—but it's, at last, finished. _

_I tried to address exactly why Tien felt this way through his final thoughts in the chapter, but if it's still unacceptable to you, I can't really do much more than that. I'll conclude the Tien notes with this: I did actually attempt to explain my reasoning, unlike the majority of authors on this site. I hope you can respect that. _

_Also, and what I've wanted to mention for a while: I'm not the best at writing fights that take up a bunch of chapters. However, I will be making attempts to improve upon that in the future. Of course, this fight was long as I wanted it to be, but I thought I should make that known to you all._

_Being honest, everyone, this story's going in a whole new direction. I hadn't planned for such drastic changes, but these changes—the most notable being Goku and Raditz's current predicament—came to me, and the majority of May was spent making these changes. I strive to give only the most enticing plots with believability—I know that this Earth arc hasn't been well-received, but there's no need to worry, for it's over._

_Onto more happier subjects, next chapter will be the first of the _Death of Son Goku _special. This special will be delving deep into Goku's character and justifying his current morality._

_However, noble readers, note that this update was not originally planned. I was going to go ahead and write said special before publishing this chapter, but I decided that you all deserved this. This will be my last update until I can get ahead, as I've said. Thanks so much for understanding, and I really appreciate everything you've given me so far. May it continue onwards!_

_Tien: 6,500  
Tien(Kaioken, 50%): 9,750  
Tien(Kaioken x2): 13,000  
Piccolo: 6,500  
Yamcha: 5,600  
Gohan: 5,200_

_As always, awesome readers, allow me to shed some light on your questions and comments:_

**Q**_**:**__ HOW can Piccolo possibly be strong enough to take Tien at this point, that doesn't add up... Goku was at 9k when he fought Nappa, Raditz's scouter (Used by Bulma) registered him at 21k (Kaio-ken Kamehameha) and raising before exploding when he fought Vegeta.  
Tien can't be much weaker than canon Goku, really... And Piccolo can't be strong enough to fight at those levels!__**  
A: **__I think you're not accounting for zenkais. While I'm sure that both canon Goku and SotF Tien gave all their hearts into their training, it's ultimately canon Goku who would win in the end, due to having faster increases in power—not from just zenkais, but from actual potential, too. I definitely agree with you in saying Tien shouldn't be drastically weaker(say, 5,000 or so), but I think 6,500 is a reasonable estimation.  
As for Piccolo: Namekian strength is rather difficult to estimate. We know that they can progress faster than a human if they apply themselves(i.e. Piccolo), but slower than a Saiyan. Canon estimates have him placed at 3,500 during the Saiyan Saga, but this is because he spent a good majority of that year helping Gohan become a fighter. In SotF, there's no such experience—Piccolo begins training him right off the bat. As a result, the Namekian not only becomes more powerful due to actual training, but he also has a strong opponent to work with._

**Q: **_I hope you go into more detail about Goku learning IT since he spent almost a year learning it on Yardrat being taught by Yardratians. Simply observing the technique and learning it in 5 minutes without help doesn't justify it._**  
A: **_Absolutely. This wasn't something that I had intended to skip over at all. I assure you, it'll be explored in this special next chapter. Trust me on this: I wouldn't have Goku quickly pick up Instant Transmission without a solid reason. _

**Q: **_I thought Yamcha may of been heading towards a dark path in his quest to gain more power and respect but if anything it maybe Tien that's going towards the wrong path plus his massive over estimate of his power which is nothing compared to what they're up against, plus Tien and Yamcha seem to be obsessed with power and are starting to lose focus on developing speed and technique (which we all know where that leads, to an ass whooping)._**  
A: **_I thought it would be ironic to have such a battle. Piccolo, the once feared Demon King, actually being the heroic one in this situation. As for the humans, you weren't far off from the truth!_

**Q: **_I am a bit skeptical though of after one year of training with Piccolo (essentially making him a father figure as per canon) would make Gohan afraid of... well anything, so i thought he would remain on the battle field or at least speak out at some point._**  
A: **_Hopefully you were satisfied with Gohan's role this chapter! I hadn't meant to skirt around him, but as you can see, SotF Gohan is definitely a bit more volatile than canon Gohan._

**Q: **_You continue to impress. The way this plot is presented is very difficult to predict what will happen, but we know that there will be a Namek Saga. I literally have 4 or 5 predictions to where this could go from here, and a story that is able to make me feel that way deserves my praise. Good work._**  
A: **_Thanks so much! I think you and many other readers will be satisfied with what's to come._

**Q: **_Why was he[Piccolo] trying to kill Tien there?  
_**A: **_Piccolo, while certainly pragmatic, is like everyone else when it comes to times of intense stress: he wasn't exactly thinking straight. The battle was literally nothing less of a death-match(according to Tien's persona), and, feeling such emotions, the Namekian succumbed to the feeling._

**Q: **_Tien may have good intentions, but I don't really like his character in this chapter. He's become arrogant, possibly worse than he was in his introduction in DB, albeit less malicious. I mean, he KNOWS his actions are nothing less than righteous and glorious, welcoming the fact that he's the protector of earth. That's just contemptible, pathetic._**  
A: **_Honestly, that was the vibe I'd intended for when writing last chapter(and this chapter as well). I don't think you could've phrased it any better.  
There was also the thought that Tien would never revert back into a power-hungry being after his being humbled in DB. I have to disagree. Tien is certainly an intelligent being, but even the smartest of us can fall. This thought is rather subjective, but that's why I did what I did. Of course, the realization of what he's done will only further his development as a character, and hopefully give an even greater insight into his character than the canonical series did._

**Q: **_Nice chapter_**. THE BROLY**_ approves_**  
A: **_Thank goodness; I don't know what I'd do if he didn't…_


	13. The Death of Son Goku: Broken

_We depart from our usually scheduled program of _Sins of the Father _to bring you the _Death of Son Goku _special. This is the forgotten story of Son Goku, a warrior who battled for pride, for righteousness…and who succumbed to the dark crevices of a cruel, unforgiving universe._

* * *

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 1: Broken**

_Directly after the events of Chapter 3..._

"Scream, you filthy Saiyan!" Frieza's malicious cackles reverberated around the dimly lit chamber; they pounded against the Saiyan's eardrums repeatedly, causing him to scream in his own agony. The sensation was burning, nipping at his sensitive skin, resulting in a feeling no man would ever want to experience willingly.

"You are worthless! You hear me?! Worth! Less!" Another carefully-aimed Death Beam stung Goku's midsection, causing his armour to nearly crack at the penetrating beam. Had Frieza not been so careful, the Saiyan could've perished right then and there. But no, more punishment and torment would be required. Frieza felt as if he needed to savor and bask in each moment of his torturing, extract every fragment of enjoyment from Goku's pain. There were only four little monkeys left, after all.

"Rgh—gah…" Goku was unable to shield himself from the torrent of Death Beams that repeatedly stung his arms and legs, wearing him down bit by bit. Frieza's blasts were nearly incinerating his skin, small burn marks beginning to form on his already calloused skin. The beams were unbelievably potent for such small blasts; each blast felt like death and rebirth all over again.

If there was one thing the Saiyan knew, it was that he had to escape—somehow, someway. Was it remotely possible? He didn't know. But if what Raditz said was true, that all the Saiyans were extinct besides for the four of them, he knew he had to live to fight another day. Everyone was counting on him… he _couldn't _fail here.

"Let's put an end to this—I grow tired of torturing such a weak monkey." Frieza's sadistic behavior seemed nearly bipolar; it unnerved Goku to no end. He'd gone in with the mentality of an optimist and came out with a broken body. The fabled Frieza, or so Raditz had described, had certainly lived up to his name as the most powerful being in the universe. The Saiyan didn't know what to make of this bleak situation, but he knew that he would make Frieza pay—one way or another.

Frieza fired one last Death Beam from his outstretched finger—though this beam was aimed differently than the others.

It connected with its predetermined target.

The effects were instantaneous.

Goku recoiled in pain as the Death Beam struck his forehead, nearly piercing through his cranium and destroying his brain. Of course, the tyrant wouldn't allow Goku the coward's way out; he barely suppressed his Death Beam in time to prevent the 'fresh meat' from perishing.

"You look too new…too fresh to the hunt. Many highly-trained in the universe could break you apart with a flick of their finger." Frieza continued his scrutiny of the wounded warrior, his ruby red eyes boring into the Saiyan's fearful irises of onyx. "You don't have the look of a primal killer...of course, I can change that…"

With a swipe of Frieza's finger, from Goku's cheek and forehead flowed fresh blood, the substance oozing down his face until it blurred his vision. With everything given a red tint, Frieza looked more demonic and feral in the Saiyan's eyes—as if he weren't already, thought the Saiyan unconsciously.

"There we are, scarred and dangerous." Frieza smirked, placing his hands on his hips with a demented and sadistic laugh.

The scarred Saiyan did his best to will himself onwards, tried to block out the pain…but it was just too great. Slumping forwards, Goku was forced into a world of darkness.

Frieza lowered his finger, satisfied with Goku's slumped and unconscious form. "That'll teach you to talk back to me, Saiyan. Then again, if Vegeta was anything to go by, I'd say this isn't going to be the last of our chats!" He then broke into a malicious round of laughter, his henchmen echoing after him.

The Arcosian leapt back into his hoverchair before turning to face Zarbon, his perversely sadistic grin almost instantly transforming into a straight face, devoid of any true expression. It was rather odd how the Arcosian's mood could switch on and off so easily—his henchmen didn't dare to bring it up, however, fearful of Frieza's temper being awakened.

"Throw him in a chamber, immediately. The last thing I want is that monkey dying so soon on us, not when he's too weak." Frieza then averted his gaze from his henchmen, choosing to look back towards the infinite chasm of space instead. Oh, how he longed for it all to be in his grasp… but, with a grin, he reminded himself of the Dragon Balls. _If that fabled legend truly exists, eternal life will be mine. No part of the universe will be spared from my wrath… _

Being so swept up in his thoughts of eternal life, Frieza barely heard Zarbon's words of concurrence. "Indeed, Lord Frieza. I'll have him moved to a rejuvenation tank immediately."

Frieza chose to only nod absentmindedly, his mind still dwelling on the mystical spheres of legend. _Cooler will be my first target… Father's next on the list… once those two are gone, this empire will truly be mine…_

"Lord Frieza?"

Annoyed by being interrupted in mid-thought, the Arcosian cast a small glance in Zarbon's direction, his deadly crimson eyes boring into the teal-colored alien's. Not many interrupted Lord Frieza and lived to tell the tale; however, he was feeling rather generous today. Having gotten to torture one of those feeble Saiyans had gotten him in a rather jovial mood. "Yes, Zarbon?"

"This Saiyan…he seems different from the others."

"Oh? How so?" responded the tyrant, genuinely interested. Discussing the last of what was considered to be the mightiest warrior race always intrigued him.

"Haven't you noticed it, Lord Frieza?" spoke up Dodoria, Frieza's other henchman. "This Saiyan…he's not as angry as the other ones."

"Of course I have, Dodoria." Frieza acknowledged the large henchman with a small glance, a sinister glint in his eye. Apparently, his lust for torture hadn't been sated quite yet. "Perhaps we should conduct the same treatment as we did with Vegeta."

Zarbon grinned, walking over to the Saiyan and picking him up by the collar of his armor. Silently, he grinned at the unconscious Saiyan's broken figure. "I'd be happy to, sire."

"Very well, then. Zarbon, you are dismissed." The tyrant then turned his eye to Dodoria; suddenly, a rather peculiar grin spread his face. "As for you, Dodoria… stay after for a moment or so."

Dodoria swallowed heavily, his onyx eyes widening as Frieza began to advance...

* * *

A week had passed, and Frieza had pulled no punches with Goku's treatment. The demoralized fighter had been made to train with the finest of the Empire's armies and be deprived of a filling meal for seven full days; it was a tactic crafted to torture those with high metabolisms—or, more specifically, the last remaining Saiyans in existence.

Currently, Son Goku could be found sparring with two of the most notable soldiers in the Planet Trade Organization—though 'sparring' might not have been the best term for such a brutal beatdown.

* * *

"Get down, imbecile!" came the raucous shout of a green-skinned alien as he kicked the freshly-inducted soldier to the side. As he fell, Goku noticed a thin layer of golden ki pierce through his former location—had he not been forcefully moved, the Saiyan would've been killed instantaneously.

"T-Thank—AGH!" cried out the wounded Saiyan; he'd been stricken in the gut by the same soldier's foot not even a split-moment afterward. He was then picked up by his hair and then viciously punched in the stomach, causing him to double over and spit up a wad of blood onto the training grounds.

"Damn weakling…" came the gruff voice of his opponent, a purple, dragon-resembling beast known as Rokmos. "And Lord Frieza wanted us to train this garbage? He can't even fend off one of my weakest strikes!"

His comrade, a blue-skinned serpent-like being named Aquarn, shook his head with a disappointed scowl. _Damn fool would've died if not for Rokmos…_ "I doubt he could even lift a space pod. Frieza must've become desperate for new recruits, I suppose."

"Haah… haah..." panted Goku, struggling to his knees as sweat dripped off his moistened brow. "Haaah…" His body was trembling, aching—begging for rest. His opponents, however, didn't seem as if they'd be granting the fatigued fighter that reprieve any time soon.

"Time for round two," sneered Rokmos, raising his fist high above his head in order to instigate a reaction within the Saiyan. Unfortunately for him, his foe seemed to be all but knocked out.

"S-Stop…" he muttered, his breath becoming more rigid and staccato by the minute. "I… I-I can't keep going. You win, okay?"

"Oh, we win, now?" laughed Aquarn, taking a firm grasp of the fallen hero's arm and wrenching it to the side, eliciting another howl from Goku's vocal chords. "If you were to admit that in battle, you'd die. We're not going to let that happen, not after investing so much of our _patience _to _help _you." His snake-like voice only seemed to cause the armored Saiyan even further pain; he clutched his ears to try and stop the pain.

"You know…" began Rokmos, charging energy in his elevated arm, "…After hearing so much about the Saiyan warrior race from Lord Frieza, I was always rather curious as to how much pain they could endure…"

Flashing a wild grin, the dragon thrust his fist downward and detonated the energy with a loud, gruff shout, causing jolts of energy to break through Goku's central nervous system and cause his vision to turn a pale and sickly white. The pain was impossible to bear; the power difference was just too great, the challenge too insurmountable for the Saiyan to overcome.

However, as the bulky dragon pulled his fist out of the spiky-haired soldier's abdomen, he noticed something rather peculiar: though the Saiyan's body was certainly worse for wear, Goku didn't scream.

"Suppose you're tougher than I thought of you," conceded the indigo organism, cracking his knuckles. "But that doesn't mean you're done for the day."

A moment later, Goku felt his neck being constricted by some sort of tail—looking to his left, he saw Aquarn looming over him, said appendage firmly coiled around his lungs.

Unlike Rokmos, the serpent didn't seem much interested in sheer torture—if anything, Aquarn seemed to be rather distant when it came to such a thing.

"You may be able to endure, but it means nothing if your opponents can still dish out damage." With that, he tightened his hold on Goku's neck, watching with an impassive expression as the Saiyan began to suffocate from the lack of oxygen, watching as the spiky-haired warrior's neck grew ever-so-close to breaking under his scaly tail.

* * *

As he watched the Saiyan from afar, the Arcosian overlord let a scowl play upon his lips. "You know, Zarbon, if there's one thing I hate, it's being lied to." He paused in his words before glancing into Zarbon's amber-colored eyes. "I'm almost tempted to kill both this imbecile and his brother and wash my hands of these subpar monkeys. Vegeta and… what was it… Nappa? They both bring in superb results, do they not?"

"Lord Frieza, I have extreme doubt in this bumbling cretin ever becoming a warrior of actual use," replied Zarbon. "Even Raditz, while extremely weak in comparison to his fellow Saiyans, is able to survive in a pinch. This one, however, couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. Frankly, I'm surprised he's gotten even as strong as he has now."

Frieza placed his left index finger under his pale chin, conjuring up possible ideas for the Saiyan in his mind. "Let's leave it up to chance, shall we?"

"What're you inferring?" asked Zarbon, turning fully to face his master. "Surely you don't mean we consider him for our squads? He's far too kind to ever be a true soldier in this organization."

"No, of course not… I'd never be so foolish as to put a novice on my top forces. By chance, I mean we send him on a life-or-death mission, and whatever happens, happens. I was already far too… _kind_… by allowing him to grow stronger from his injuries—giving him any further specialized treatment would be simply ludicrous." Frieza allowed an ominous smile to play upon his lips. "Allow him to heal, and then ship him off within a day or so."

"Yes, sire. I'll get to it once the hour is over." Zarbon laughed internally, adding on in his mind, _Right after I watch this poor monkey be kicked to the curb…_

* * *

Being within the confinements of the healing chambers was rather perturbing to Goku. The carbonated bubbles were nearly searing to his wounds, a poison to his bones—even though the end result was full restoration to his injuries, the Saiyan felt nothing more than agonizing, white-hot, complete and utter pain.

And, he reminded himself, this was only short of his first week in said organization.

_How could Raditz and the others survive this… torture? _He thought to himself, feeling the liquids ooze around his wounds and begin to sew them up as if they'd never been there to begin with. _I've only been here for a week; that's nothing when compared to serving Frieza nearly a lifetime… _

"You may be weak when compared to your fellow Saiyans, but you're quite the resistant fellow, aren't you?" muttered Malaka, furiously typing commands into the chamber before pressing one last key, draining the pod of its fluids. "You may open your eyes now, you're fully rejuvenated."

As his eyes opened, Goku bowed his head sadly. _I may be healed physically, but mentally… Frieza… _

"Ah, yes, before I forget, Lord Frieza wanted you to be sent to hangar fourteen—you've been assigned to conquer Planet Spatios."

"Thanks for letting me know, doctor. Who am I going with? Raditz? Vegeta? Nappa?" Goku retrieved his armor and quickly dressed himself in in the silver and blue clothing; he then began to stretch his muscles as Malaka began to speak once more.

"None of the above, Goku; Lord Frieza has assigned you to exterminate these forces on your own." Malaka handed the Saiyan his cobalt-colored scouter, which he quickly attached to his eye before he turned to begin on his path, muttering to himself about Frieza.

Before he could get to the door, however, Malaka's voice rang out across the dimly lit room.

"Please, do be careful. I've heard that these Spatiosians are absolutely ruthless when it comes to battle—they won't hesitate to exploit any weaknesses you present them," Malaka forewarned, catching Goku's attention. "You won't be given any second chances against those fighters—it's literally do or die. Don't hesitate when you approach them."

"Thanks for the warning, doctor." Goku then turned to face the door, taking a deep breath to relax his mind. "And thanks for healing me—Zarbon or Dodoria certainly wouldn't do so."

"It's my job to help those who are injured to recuperate, Goku. Please, think nothing of it. I wish you luck on your mission—please do come back all right."

"Wouldn't you want me injured? That way you could keep busy with another job." The two exchanged a small laugh before Goku opened the door to the central hallway, his eyes gleaming with both nervousness and the characteristic Saiyan excitement of battle.

"I trust you'll be fine, but it can never hurt to reinforce my words: be careful, Goku. These warriors could kill you in a split-second if you're off your guard. Especially since you won't have someone to assist you in your battles, I highly advise you to keep watch from all angles."

"Thanks, Malaka. I'll be sure to watch my back. Take care," said Goku, giving the alien a small wave before walking into the crowd of soldiers traveling to their destinations.

* * *

_Note: For some reason, when I replaced the content of Chapter 5 for Guardian, this suddenly deleted as well. Sorry for having to re-upload it!_

_I have to admit, I really wasn't satisfied with this chapter. I tried to write it to the best of my ability, but it seems… subpar, compared to what I think I'm capable of writing. However, with things kicking into gear next chapter, I believe chapters will be back to their usual quality. The main reason for this chapter being as it was is twofold: for one, this chapter's beginning was mostly written back around the time period of Chapters 9-10, so the writing quality was drastically lower—I tend to try and feed off the quality of the opening scenes in order to maintain quality for the rest of the chapter. The second reason is because there wasn't too much to cover, resulting in an extremely short chapter._

_ However, I decided to leave it as is and publish it. I know there's nothing I could do to improve upon it, so this is the end result. I apologize greatly, but I'll do my best to make next chapter one you enjoy. _

_So, not much to say this chapter, other than this: I've moved my Q&A to a forum that is titled "Super Vegetarott's Q&A." This was done in order to have the majority of the content on chapters to be the document, as I was feeling pressured with the amount of questions I was answering and the length of them. _

_Thanks for reading, and I assure you that next chapter will be of higher quality!_

**What challenges will Goku face on this new planet? How will Raditz react to learning about his brother's current whereabouts? Can he make a difference in the events to come? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	14. The Death of Son Goku: Flying Solo

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 2: Flying Solo**

As he traversed through the sea of soldiers in the narrow hallway of his lord's starship, Goku felt a combination of emotions swell within him, each giving his conscience further anxiety and apprehension. These conflicting emotions had truly put his mind in a state of cognitive dissonance, something that would only be resolved when this mission was over and done with—regardless of the result.

The first of these emotions was one classified as excitement—as his brother so often claimed, no true Saiyan could ever refute the prospect of a true battle.

Another sensation that festered itself in his lower gut was one of anxiety—for the first time since his induction into the Planet Trade, Son Goku would be fighting alone.

That scared him. Greatly.

Although he'd been told by his prince to never show any sort of pain, whether it be physical or mental, it was quite apparent that this was one sensation he couldn't refute —torrents of sweat were drizzling down his face in beads as he walked forward, his legs shaking with every step. Some even murmured faint jeers at the Saiyan, though he ignored them; he was far too nervous to begin with. The last thing he needed was mockery and harassment for his inexperience as a soldier—word had spread of Goku's inability to kill without remorse.

Though he'd killed King Moai of the Arlian people, Goku had never particularly enjoyed the prospect of taking a life. Unless his own life was in danger, the armored fighter saw no true reason to speed up a fellow being's demise.

How could Frieza expect him to be able to slaughter an entire race with this state of mind? No matter how the Saiyan thought about it, no true conclusion could be found.

And, as he realized clumsily by smacking his head against the door, he'd ran out of time to ponder.

"Ugh…" groaned the Saiyan, tenderly rubbing his forehead as he attempted to recover from the dazing blow. Though he could hear laughter pounding against his eardrums, something far more painful entered his consciousness…

* * *

_Two silhouettes could be seen in the room, the darkness of the night hiding their faces from view. The first stood tall and erect, looking over the second figure with what appeared to be a soft, gentle expression—though he couldn't decipher the face itself, the outlined figure's body language told him all Goku needed to know._

"_What do we name him?" asked the second figure, its voice distorted and muffled slightly. It appeared to be cradling something in its arms, clutching it as if it were their life itself. _

"_After my grandpa… Gohan," replied the first, its tone somewhat rising with happiness._

* * *

"Get up!"

"AGH!" cried the Saiyan, his cheek now heavily stinging from the blow it'd just endured. Goku now found himself flat on his back, the world spinning above him.

Suddenly, an amphibian-like cranium was in his face, the pain of the blow seemingly enlarging it. The scales of his overseer's face repulsed him, intimidating him. Was his life destined to end because he hadn't thought straight? Had Malaka's warning, though indirectly, come to haunt him?

"Stand up, you clumsy Saiyan." The indigo-colored face seemed to smirk, a raucous snicker beginning to pound against the aforementioned Saiyan's eardrums. "You won't last long if you freeze up every time you're in a life-or-death situation."

Nervously, Goku conducted the aforementioned, his body shaking with every move he made. With every breath he took, those beady eyes of his overseer watched. Those eyes bore into the armored fighter until he stood erect, his full height towering over the fish-resembling warrior.

"My name is Cui. Remember that, my friend, when you're traveling on your journey." Cui smiled, clamping a hand firmly down onto Goku's shoulder. Though it disgusted him, the spiky-haired soldier didn't dare to move it away; he didn't think he had the endurance to put up with another beating.

Cui then stepped out of Goku's way, mockingly beckoning for the Saiyan to continue on his path. "Just remember that, Saiyan… for I promise you, this won't be the last we meet."

Visibly nodding slightly, Goku tried to still his mind; he knew instigating a further conversation wouldn't work out in his favor. He began his walk again, feeling the lavender-colored organism's onyx eyes watch his every move.

Silently, he opened the door to the hangar before walking inside…

* * *

"Welcome to hangar fourteen," happily chirped a viridian bird-resembling creature as he approached Goku, a device within his hand. Oddly enough, in a vast contrast to before, this alien didn't seem to have even a sliver of malice within his voice. That was rather perturbing to the Saiyan, causing him to quickly tap his scouter—he wouldn't be caught off-guard, like he had with Cui.

BEEP. As the number came up, Goku's shoulders relaxed; the creature before him only had a power level of seven. Such a power level was nothing to be concerned about at the moment. "Thank you… um…"

"Oh, how terrible of me! I haven't even given you my name!" trilled the emerald-colored creature, his voice rather high-pitched. "Allow me to rectify that silly blunder. My name is Depatrue, and I'm the overseer of this rather beautiful hangar!"

Goku glanced around, his eyes seeing nothing that could even be remotely considered alluring—dark, dreary shades of a murky black colored the walls, dust and soot creeping along some of the doors. Not wanting to sour Depatrue's jovial mood, Goku offered him a weak smile. "It's a sight, all right." He didn't have the heart to say anything further than such a generalized statement.

"Yes, it is quite a sight indeed!" babbled on the bird, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Frieza often recommends the new recruits to come here for their first missions—I suppose it's because he wants to brighten their spirits with such a vivacious display!"

"Could very well be," Goku responded, trying to make his voice ambiguous and rather cryptic. While he wanted to avoid putting a damper on Depatrue's gleeful outlook on life, he also felt it morally unjust to lie—though his brother encouraged it when dealing with Lord Frieza, he disliked the sensation that festered within his lower gut afterward. Dealing with such a bright and optimistic spirit only caused the guilt to intensify four-fold.

"Your ship has been pre-programmed for its mission. Spatios, I believe it's called." The green creature tapped a few buttons on the portable control panel with remarkable accuracy, the final input resulting in a pod nearest the opposite exit opening its hatch.

"Yes… Spatios…" Goku murmured, walking over to examine the pod. In terms of visuals, it was nearly an exact replication of what he'd taken on his voyage to Arlia, though, in contrast, this one looked far duller than its predecessor. Running his hand over the top of his ship, Goku found particles of dust had accumulated on his means of transportation. "Tell me, do you know anything about them?"

"The Spatoisians?" queried Depatrue, bringing his index finger up to his chin in thought. "No, I can't say I know too much about them. However, rumors have stated they're a force to be trifled with—judging by the mutilated corpses that were sent back in these very pods, I might consider that to be true." Upon seeing the horrified look in Goku's eye, the jade-colored bird saw it fit to add onto his sentence. Smiling, he did just that."…Granted, they didn't look half as powerful as you do, though. I'm sure you'll win without a doubt!"

Goku let out a sigh of anxiety; fate just didn't seem to be on his side today. _Well, looks like my work's cut out for me today… _"Thanks for your help, Depatrue. It's much appreciated." He then boarded the miniature ship, immediately wincing slightly as he felt the coarse back of the seat—for some reason, this pod seemed much rougher when compared to the one he'd originally traveled in.

Before closing the hatch, the bird waved frantically, grinning as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Bye-bye! Take care! You'll do marvelous!"

As the inverted door closed on him, the anesthesia began to filter within the pod, causing Goku to jostle slightly—even the smallest disturbance appeared to frighten the Saiyan to no end, it seemed.

Trying to relax his mind, Goku reclined his body the best he could, his thoughts gearing towards the challenge ahead. Though they grew fainter and clumsier with each second his brain felt the sleeping gas inflict its nitrous oxide, he still had enough coherent thought to voice:

"One thing's for sure… this won't be pretty."

Not even a split-second after, his world went dark.

* * *

Lord Frieza watched as the space pod flew off the starship, gliding through the silent chasms of space harmlessly. A grin crept up his face at the thought of what was in store for the freshly-inducted Saiyan warrior, thoughts that would even make even his elder brother cringe. Oh, how he loved outdoing Cooler when it came to sadistic tortures. One could even consider it a game… a game that he always won, of course, as proven by his control over the majority of the Planet Trade Organization.

Though many would think otherwise, Frieza hadn't felled his brother in battle in order to gain as much territory as he had. No, his father was too intelligent to conclude superiority by a mere battle alone. He tested them on their brutality, their ruthlessness—in such a category, Frieza had his brother easily outclassed. Though his brother was certainly a bloodthirsty tyrant himself, it was a universal fact that none could compare with Lord Frieza's might.

In order to win the throne, Frieza had prepared himself, challenged himself, knowing that his brother would stop at nothing to claim what he felt was his—in the end, his perseverance had paid off, resulting in becoming the most renowned tyrant known across the Northern Galaxy.

It was with this mentality that allowed him to gain control of his current possessions. Each henchman, each planet, they all belonged to him because of how involved he was with every single one of them.

And that was why Frieza had canceled his business call—in order to track his newest pet monkey's progress.

"So, I'm curious, Zarbon. How long do you think our chimp friend has?" asked Frieza, his tone devoid of any true emotion.

"Personally, Lord Frieza, I highly doubt he lasts longer than a day." Zarbon flicked his green ponytail over his shoulder, looking rather amused by his master's expectancy of Goku. The poor imbecile was weaker than Vegeta at five years of age; there was no way he'd amount to anything extravagant. "Shall I prepare a strike force to head to Spatios after him?"

"This mission is solely for Goku, and him alone. I won't tolerate any other forces assisting him in this mission," sternly warned Frieza. Embedded within his words was cold malice that, even after multiple decades of serving under Frieza, still made Zarbon's skin crawl.

"Of course, sire. I wouldn't dare dream of doing anything to oppose your wishes," hastily replied the teal narcissist, his eyes widening in fear. "I personally just don't see what you see in him, sire. At last check, he was approximately around five-hundred."

"Why can't you ever use your head for another reason than looking pretty?" taunted Frieza, scowling at his top henchman. "Goku, while nowhere near Vegeta, is at five-hundred _without _much training. Raditz, on the other hand, is barely above his brother in combat strength, and he's been with us nearly as long as Vegeta."

Picking up from where his master left off, Zarbon gaped as he realized the implications of Frieza's words. "Are you intending to replace Raditz with his brother? Although he may be clumsy, Raditz is certainly efficient when it comes to getting the job done."

"Strength in numbers, my dear Zarbon…" He cut his eyes in annoyance at his right-hand man. "…Why would I be so foolish to exterminate another monkey? Four is better than three, is it not?"

Zarbon opened his mouth to refute his master's argument, but then promptly shut it a moment later. It was then that he realized his mistake—he was flirting with death. Frieza was, quite literally, the bringer of death; it wasn't wise to incite his temper. Therefore, he simply did what he did best: look pretty and be a yes-man.

"Of course, Lord Frieza."

* * *

The sleeping gas of the Planet Trade Organization was… unique, when compared to other types of the substance. For one, it stilled users for a pre-determined amount of time; the effects of the anesthesia did not subside naturally. It was a potent, artificially designed substance that wouldn't harm the brain in any form whatsoever. It immediately jolted the subject awake once the ship was drawn in to another planet's gravitational pull.

Goku bolted awake, his body feeling a tremendous pressure due to having been bolted awake. Though, that wasn't the worst of his problems; he was freefalling out of the atmosphere—what was he to do?!

"Damn it!" He audibly swore, recalling to how disheveled the spacecraft looked at its first appearance. "How could I ever rely on this darn bucket of bolts to fly me?!" Subconsciously, a dark thought was provoked: while certainly kind, Depatrue had failed him; he hadn't prepared a suitable enough pod for him to travel with safety. Though he may've had his best interests at heart, the emerald-colored bird just might've cost the Saiyan his life…

With rapid speed, Goku's Attack Ball descended further and further, nearing the purple crust of Spatios. With rapid speed, Goku's conscience thought a thousand ways this could've been prevented, had the enthusiastic Depatrue actually done his job.

With rapid speed, the space pod collided with Planet Spatios's rocky grounds, resulting in a large mushroom cloud enshrouding the pod's immediate surroundings.

* * *

The pod was durable; he could say that, at least. Had it not possessed that quality, Goku would've perished right there and then, his legacy as a hero forever forgotten.

Alas, that was not the way fate would play out that fateful day.

Crawling out of the wreckage, Goku panted heavily, his sweat splashing against the bright violet grounds of Spatios. _D-Darn this stupid pod! Just a pile of…_

BZZZT! Out of nowhere, abreast him, materialized three figures, each tantamount in appearance. All were clothed in black jumpsuits, bandanas covering their mouths, and they all possessed the same snow-white hair.

"Invader…" lowly hissed the apparent leader of the trio, advancing towards Goku with hardened eyes—the eyes of a trained assassin, a cold-blooded killer.

* * *

_This chapter was also one I wasn't exactly happy with. Nevertheless, though, it was another transitory chapter—I'm not going to use that as an excuse, but, considering this is a special(and, subsequently, faster-paced than the main story), I think I'm doing okay in regards to pacing. Regardless, we're finally up to the part I wanted to be at. I've got a bit to say here, so sorry if this A/N is rather long._

_I went a bit reference-crazy with this chapter—see if you can find the intentional(and unintentional) allusions! They were pretty fun to include, and best of all, they fit with the tone I wanted to convey._

_Dapatrue was… interesting for me to write. He actually wasn't in the original plot for this special, but he's served as a catalyst for the cultivation of Goku's distrust in others. I felt that it was actually very enjoyable to write._

_Lastly, I received a review asking how long this special was going to be. I can't exactly say, due to spoilers, but I can say we'll be back in the main story by Chapter 20 at latest. For the rest of the Q&A, please check out my Q&A forum!_

**How will our hero fare against this mysterious new triad? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	15. The Death of Son Goku: Triptych

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 3: Triptych**

"Invader…" lowly hissed the apparent leader of the trio, advancing towards Goku with hardened eyes—the eyes of a trained assassin, a cold-blooded killer.

Goku, though his body felt broken and battered, refused to give in; he tried to stand… but his knees buckled, forcing him to pitch forward and fall face-first into the soil of Spatios.

His foes paid this no heed, methodically continuing their path toward him, their eyes holding no emotion—nothing could be found in the chasms of their soul. It was an ominous sensation, one that chilled the Saiyan down to the bone.

Staring upwards, the scouter-wearing warrior saw nothing but the deep black of the leader's pant leg. "R-rgh…" His breath was rigid, growing fainter and more staccato by the minute. What was he to do?

His Saiyan blood gave him one answer, of course.

A voice, eerily similar to his own, zinged through his consciousness. _Get up! Fight! _It commanded, repeating the chant several times over like a choir, though this was no angelic sound—it was the voice of a snarling beast within, waiting to be unleashed upon these poor fools who dared to cross his path.

Alas, the warrior was just too weak; he couldn't even find enough energy within his body to try and stand. How could he even consider fighting when his body, broken and battered, had so little energy left?

The primal beast within didn't care, its only desire being to splatter the blood of this triptych all over their homeworld. It lusted, relished, for this opportunity, the opportunity to spill blood that wasn't his.

It wouldn't derive pleasure from sadism that day; Goku refused to let it happen. He closed his eyes, drowning out all his drives, his frustrations—many came to mind, he noticed, such as his multiple beatings at the hands of Frieza and his men, his encounter with Depatrue, and finally, his spacecraft malfunctioning on him.

Vegeta had once told him that encounters with Frieza lasted a lifetime. While at first he'd written off the possibility of that even being remotely plausible, he'd had a rude awakening. This was no longer even playful coddling—though Frieza put him through excruciating pain day after day, Goku knew he would survive.

Today, however, the Saiyan wasn't positive he'd even escape this encounter with a functional body. He'd heard so many things about these ruthless Spatiosians: their ruthlessness in battle, their brevity when it came to dispatching their targets… all these acclaims led Goku to one terrifying conclusion:

When he returned to the Planet Trade, Goku would no longer be himself, but a former shell of who he was.

His fears realized, Goku saw no more reason to leave himself in the dark. He opened his eyes, only to see that his foe hadn't moved—everything was as it had been before, nothing had changed. The leader, as he stood in all his power, remained unchanged in terms of appearance, his stoic eyes still boring down at the Saiyan warrior where he lay.

Save for the small heaves and breaths the armored warrior took, the atmosphere was ghastly reticent. None of the triad before Goku's eyes had made even the mildest of movements; each of them remained eerily still. Their eyes were trained on the Saiyan before them, sizing him up in their minds.

Their target continued to lay in the violet soil, trying to muster up even a modicum of his power. If he was going out today, he would go out as Vegeta told him was an honor—with a blazing battle, straight to the death. He was sure, before his accident, he'd respected the Saiyan code before; with his final battle, he would honor it, as he did before his memory loss.

His lust for blood suddenly intensified twofold, and in that moment, Goku knew the time for war was upon him. It was time for the Saiyan to fight, to face this seemingly insurmountable task.

Goku felt no fear, however. Even if he were to perish here, in this forest-like area, without anyone ever knowing, he would be free. Though it was a rather perverse perspective, one couldn't deny the truth: the Planet Trade Organization was both physically and emotionally scarring.

Even if he were to die this day, at least he would be free…

"HYYAAAH!" Goku made the first movement, leaping upwards and driving his fist firmly forward. Though his foe clearly saw it coming, the snow-haired warrior hadn't budged even in the slightest.

"Leave now," whispered the fighter, before he… _vanished out of the dimension._ With no target to halt his momentum, the armored warrior skidded forward uncontrollably in the direction of his foe's cronies, though they, too disappeared in wisps of static—this resulted in the Saiyan slamming into a tree bark before falling back down to the ground, his vision spinning.

Goku let out an audible cry, both of shock and pain. That was impossible; one moment his target was before him, and the next, simply gone?! Instinctively, he knew his opponents were looming over his shoulder, though he didn't allow it to show on his features—as painful as his training under Rokmos and Aquarn had been, it had opened his eyes. He couldn't show a single sign of weakness or knowledge against his opponents—it would only come back to bite him in the end.

He raised himself to one knee before twisting his body, beautifully arcing around and charging at his foes again. Again, they made no move to counter, though the leader appeared to show just a ghost of a scowl.

"We gave you one chance to leave," he hissed. "Now, we fight to the death. You'll regret facing the Shadow Triad, the protectors of Spatios. Decrementi, Cadere… we end this warrior today. As the leader of my people, I, Mors, will not allow escape. Prepare for swift and utter defeat." With those words, the trio phased out of Goku's flight path once more. The Saiyan, having seen it coming, quickly halted his flight, landing on the ground with a soft TUP.

_Their speed is incredible, _noted the armored warrior_,_ quickly adapting to his surroundings. Knowing his opponents' abilities were focused on teleportation, he had no choice but to focus his mind—just as his foes had seemed to have done while watching him. The hairs on the back of his neck involuntarily bristled as he felt the tension of his foes watching him from wherever they were. Somehow, someway, this technique of theirs allowed them to mask their movements—he couldn't trace any air currents to them, nor could he follow the breeze of the winds. It was a perfect manipulation of energy.

If only he could master a technique like that…

BZZT! Cadere re-materalized next to the spiky-haired warrior, catching the aforementioned off-guard with a spinning roundhouse kick to the cheek. The blow forced Goku to stumble backwards, before he felt his back smash against a fist—Decrementi's fist, to be precise—that sent him pitching forward. Just as his head was about to meet with the ground for the third time that day…

THUUM! Mors phased below him, quickly executing an uppercut that sent Goku soaring into the atmosphere. As he lowered his fist, as if on instinct, Decrementi and Cadere dashed in pursuit of Goku.

As he recovered in mid-flight, the Saiyan began to pant heavily. _Their powers aren't anything special… but their blows hurt… terribly… what shoul-_

He was cut off by Cadere's forearm smashing into his jaw, which was followed by a rapid volley of blows from his comrade that forced Goku's vision to begin spinning wildly. Eventually, the barrage ended, but their fluid teamwork didn't; Cadere closed the gap and buried his feet into Goku's ribcage, sending him barreling backwards.

This time, however, Goku refused to be caught off-guard; he was beginning to figure out how the triptych's fighting style worked. Judging on their past skirmish, the armored warrior determined that Mors would be waiting in the shadows, aiming for his back.

Taking a deep breath, the Saiyan gambled it all, raising his hand back over his head and firing a large sphere of golden energy that traveled behind him before suddenly detonating in a blinding pulse of light.

Smiling as he began to perform a somersault, Goku knew he'd chosen well.

"You missed," whispered Mors, reappearing next to Goku with a black flare of light in hand. Too stunned to make a movement, the Saiyan was blasted away by the intensity of the wave, being sent tumbling backwards.

Decrementi then seized the opportunity presented; it was simply an opening he couldn't pass up. Dissipating into thin air, he moved at supersonic speeds and reappeared in front of Goku, twisting his body and lunging in with a snap-kick that sent Goku spiraling towards the ground. Mors, following the change in strategy, lunged downwards and headbutted the Saiyan on his solar plexus, ramming him into the ground. The impact elicited a shriek of pain from the armored warrior's lips, akin to the screams he let out against the torrent of Death Beams he'd suffered from a week prior.

Unfortunately, like Frieza, these shrieks of pain didn't stop Mors—they only encouraged him to continue his assault. Maintaining his stoic facial mask, Mors plunged his fist downwards to shatter the Saiyan's kneecap.

His fist made contact with the ground, throwing up dust. Though he was stunned, Mors quickly repressed the emotion—he'd given up such trivial things in order to fully hone his skills as protector of Spatios. He glanced around, only to hear a battle cry emanate from his right flank; this prompted him to teleport to his right. Immediately, he did so-

-Only to be brutally smacked across the jaw by the Saiyan warrior, who kept pressing the attack with a flurry of rapid punches to the abdomen. Backing off slightly, Goku threw a high kick that snapped Mors' chin upwards, then quickly raised his arm for another punch…

…Two arms quickly looped themselves around Goku's, holding him in a full nelson lock. Goku, on instinct, began to attempt struggling… and found it was working. For some inexplicable reason, he was somehow able to free one of his arms from Decrementi's death grip.

From there, Goku thrust his elbow backwards, hoping to firmly connect with the black-donning warrior's nose.

He never did.

BZZT! Mors, dashing at full speed, instantly closed the gap between him and his foe, snapping his own head back with a devastating high punch to the cheek. Cadere followed in his ally's tracks, phasing in front of Goku, and quickly begun to target his free arm with vicious, unadulterated blows.

CRRAACK!

Goku, somehow mustering his strength within, had torn his arm away from the assault and dealt Cadere a vicious blow to his brow. Smirking, Goku pulled his fist away… only to see his foe unharmed.

He was then shoved forward, only for Mors to phase above him and kick him down to the ground; he landed in the dirt face-first, wounded and beaten.

"D-Darn it…" the Saiyan muttered, trying to will himself onwards. He needed to stand, he needed to prevail…

…though the prospect of death began to tantalize him.

_If I die now… _Goku thought, his bones aching with agonizing pain. _…then it's over. No more Zarbon… no more Frieza… no more beatings… _He didn't delude himself—he knew that death would be considered mercy on his soul when compared to Frieza's way of _training. _Would he want to take the coward's way out?

On the other hand, however, were his fellow Saiyans. According to what Raditz had told him, he'd worked tirelessly and diligently in order to recover him from his failed mission on Planet Earth. Could he reciprocate by simply dying on them, dying when they still had the aspiration of killing their overlord?

Vegeta would surely laugh at his death, writing him off as another "low-class weakling," as he so liked to call him and his brother. Nappa would simply scowl, annoyed that the odds of killing Frieza had drastically lowered.

Raditz, though, would be the one hit hardest by his death. The two had, no doubt, grown together. Fought and killed together. Laughed and cried together.

Could he really deprive Raditz of his brother—could he really depart to the afterlife, knowing that he'd left his brother to endure in this… _hell?_

The pang of anger that surged through his heart told him it was surely impossible. That feeling of anger, that feeling of rage and hatred of Frieza and the whole damned empire, was what motivated him to get up and draw back into his fighting stance. Though his vision was distorted, his breathing infrequent, and his stance rather sloppy, Goku wouldn't allow his life to end here.

"You're not going to win here!" He shouted, his voice echoing ever-so-slightly. "I swear… I won't give in!"

With another battle cry, Goku dashed forward in a luminous aura, swinging his leg wildly in an arc for a roundhouse kick. As they'd done so many times before, the Shadow Triad quickly vanished from sight.

But that was what Goku had expected of them.

Immediately retreating his leg backward, he closed his eyes, again attempting to wait for some sort of movement, some signal… though it seemed fruitless, there was no other option—he needed to adapt, just as his fellow Saiyans had.

Though it was faint, the armored warrior heard a soft sound that indicated their reappearance. A moment later, he heard another shimmer that signaled one's movement.

Shutting his eyes, Goku concentrated his energy into a small, azure sphere of energy. As it flared with an exuberant light, its rays of energy arcing around the ball ever so slightly, Goku knew it was now or never.

Opening his eyes, he spun to his left, and fired.

This time, he'd truly chosen well; the ball of energy slammed into Decrementi's chest before suddenly exploding in a brilliant blue flash of light.

The blast left no trace of the shadow warrior behind.

* * *

Though he said nothing, Cadere watched the scene before him with a heavy heart. His face showed no signs of pain or loss; however, it was apparent by his pause that he'd been hit with the emotion known as sorrow.

However, this only invigorated him to fight harder. Quickly dissipating into the night skies of Spatios, Cadere surged forward, aiming for the Saiyan's torso with an open-gloved palm.

Somehow, his prey shimmered away in a flash of static, causing Cadere to stop short in his tracks. _He… used the Shadow Sneak? Impossible! Only Decrementi, Mors, and I could even-_

When he looked downward, he felt a jolt of pain soar through his chest—Goku had re-appeared before him, throwing a left-handed punch that impaled the snow-haired warrior where he hovered.

"Ngh… gah…" he spluttered, his eyes beginning to close.

Perhaps it was a blessing that he didn't see what was to come.

With a mighty battle cry, Goku flung his right hand forward and gouged out Cadere's irises, literally blinding him from everything he strived so much to protect—now, he would never receive the opportunity to even give his farewells.

Within a moment, Cadere, one of the legendary Shadow Triad, had fallen by Goku's hand.

* * *

Mors, paralyzed with shock, watched the scene with a characteristically impassive expression. "You've killed both Decrementi and Cadere… and with our patented Shadow Sneak ability. How could you replicate it?"

"Truth be told, I didn't," came the reply of Goku, his eyes staying trained on his opponent. "Your technique just has flaws—one of which I exposed." His eyes showed nothing but the purest concentration, sizing up his foe just as the triad had done. Then, suddenly, a smirk played upon his lips as he slid back into his stance. "Are you ready to figure out the flaw with it, just as your friends did before their deaths?"

Goku illuminated himself in his azure-colored aura before rocketing into the air and charging towards Mors, who attempted to face his foe head-on instead of vanishing. He quickly evaded the Saiyan's furious headbutt, retaliating with a swift punch to the side of his foe's neck before kicking him in the ribs. Though the impact visibly disoriented Goku for a brief moment, he then stood tall once more, appearing unharmed to the Spatosian.

The latter of the two, though he hadn't noticed, floated backwards, experiencing his first true sense of trepidation. He was all alone now—no longer did he have his comrades to assist him. All his people were now relying on him to save their lives from the Planet Trade; they needed him to prevail against this monstrous foe. But could he really pull such a task off?

"So, tell me…" asked Goku, crossing his arms. "Do Spatosians experience fear?"

* * *

_Thanks for reading this new chapter, everyone! This chapter felt a lot easier to write, whether it be in confidence or flow. The battle may not have lasted too long, but it was one that mattered a great deal._

_I would also like to give you my sincerest thanks for giving this story the following(written at the time of uploading): 846 reviews, 94 favorites, 110 follows, and finally, 43,258 views! It's unbelievable how much you've all supported my story, and I can't wait to continue reciprocating by writing more of SotF for you!_

_I've got a bit more to say, so the Q&A forum this chapter will also have an extended author's note—be sure to check it out!_

_I'll begin these plot notes by saying that the Shadow Triad is borrowed from _Pokemon Black/White _and _Pokemon Black 2/White 2. _Their teleportation abilities, as you may have noticed, are extremely potent—while Goku hasn't mastered their Shadow Sneak(nor will he even remotely perfect it), it does serve as an inspiration for a particular technique from the Yardrats…_

_Goku's pride and blood-lust as a warrior has been awakened, allowing for him to kill out of necessity. However, he's yet to truly become a ruthless warrior—he doesn't want to slaughter ruthlessly, like we saw him do in Chapter 12. _

_It made sense to me that his drive to at least kill would be centered around his brother, Raditz. While you may have found that to be strange, considering that he will become a true Saiyan in later chapters of this special, note that this Goku is based off of his original, naïve attitude. In Chapters 1-3, he was still, for the most part, the same Goku that we all know and love. That's why I found it to be essential to at least portray this Goku falling from his grace and naïve attitude, which resulted in him acting like so in this chapter. _

_Goku(Zenkais from Frieza and soldiers): 1,150  
Mors: 800(speed)  
Decrementi: 800(strength)  
Cadere: 800(skill)_

_A couple of notes when it comes to these power levels. For one, Goku has had multiple zenkais, resulting in his power boosting dramatically—however, it didn't make sense to me to have him above Raditz's level._

_Now, you're probably wondering why the Shadow Triad have these aspects of strength. See, the Triad have perfected different components of battle—this allows for their teamwork to be much smoother and much more effective. However, if they were to be disoriented—like Goku was able to do—then they're not that big of a challenge at all. With only Mors left, will Goku even _have _a challenge to begin with?_

**Having found a flaw within the Shadow Sneak, can Goku ultimately prevail against the leader of the Shadow Triad? Will Mors' superior speed allow him to gain an advantage against his more powerful adversary? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	16. The Death of Son Goku: Sensations

_Theme for this chapter(and the official theme of SotF Goku from this point onwards): "Voices" by Revelation Theory. I literally think this song could've been made for SotF Goku, had this fanfiction debuted before the song's creation. I would begin playing it as soon as you begin reading this chapter._

_Also, I am well aware of the brevity of this chapter—more on that in the A/N. _

* * *

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 4: Sensations**

As he stared into the darkened irises of the Saiyan before him, Mors felt paralyzed, fearful of the arduous challenge before him. His foe had slaughtered the shadow warrior's comrades with relative ease, boasting confidently that he'd found a flaw within the Shadow Sneak. Was he destined to fall to that same fate?

"Well?" Goku uncrossed his arms, eyes staying focused on Mors. "If you're so confident in your attack, then go ahead. I'm waiting." A sensation unlike any other began to envelop Goku—it felt like a burning spirit, one that sent shivers of excitement coursing through his Saiyan blood. Though this aura, so sudden and new, began to intoxicate Goku with its deceptive beauty, he never let his steeled gaze falter from the eyes of his opponent—he'd learned quite well from his encounters with Rokmos and Aquarn.

"As you wish." Mors' slim figure was enveloped by static lines before he suddenly vanished into nothingness.

However, unlike just a few moments prior, Goku was ready. Having seen the disadvantage of the Shadow Triad's signature maneuver before had eased his mind; he knew just how to formulate a counter-attack.

Little did he know, Son Goku had just exhibited one of the finest qualities of a soldier.

THUUM! A black-gloved fist made instant contact with the back of the Saiyan's skull, forcing Goku to lurch forward ever so slightly. At this, Mors allowed himself a brief moment of confidence before diving forward and dropkicking the armored warrior's spine; the power behind it sent Goku tumbling forwards.

The Saiyan quickly rolled to his feet and turned back around to face his foe—to Mors' shock and horror, he looked relatively unharmed. "Do you understand yet?" he questioned, an imperceptible sense of mockery in his tone. "Your technique, while certainly impressive, has a flaw—one which proved fatal to your comrades…" a sinister grin crossed Goku's features, "and soon you."

With that, he rocketed forward, his body shrouded in an azure aura. Mors barely had time to throw up his defense as Goku drove his two fists forward; the first was blocked, yet the second one broke straight through his guard and sent him skidding several meters back.

The Saiyan made a beeline for his opponent, unwilling to let the leader of the Triad escape from his wrath. "Don't think you can hide!" He shouted, jumping into the air and firing a concentrated sphere of energy at his foe.

Mors, wounded from Goku's mighty blow, barely had time to register the threat before the sphere swallowed his surroundings whole—the impact of the blast illuminated the sky in a fierce explosion of a light blue coloration.

* * *

As he stared down at the carnage below him that had once been a forest clearing, the armored warrior felt an odd twitch within his consciousness—what it meant, he hadn't the slightest clue, but it was almost as if he was being chastised for his actions. He immediately drowned it out, not interested in this odd voice within his head.

Instead, he chose to let out a soft chuckle.

"That's a valuable strength of your technique—you can escape almost any life-threatening situation within the blink of an eye," Goku said, his voice unwavering in its lower, more menacing register—yet another thing he'd had to learn within the Planet Trade: the intimidation factor. "You might want to avoid being so obvious with your movements, however—a skill is nothing without proper usage," he said, recalling the exact words said to him by Rokmos in one of their intimidating encounters.

Goku rapidly performed a one-eighty spin and lifted his fist upwards, sending the re-materalized Mors shooting into the skies with a brutal uppercut. From there, he leapt into the air and quickly snapped his foe's head to the left with a roundhouse punch; Goku then continued his assault with a firm knee to the rib-cage.

Mors doubled over, fresh blood spewing from his lips. "U-ugh… gah…"

Unfortunately for the Shadow Triad's leader, Goku was far from done with his assault; he grabbed Mors by his snow-colored hair and began to viciously pummel his abdomen with a ruthless barrage of left-handed blows.

With each blow, the cries of pain from Mors' vocal chords grew louder and louder. However, Goku wasn't about to show mercy—if anything, the signs of agony spurred on his bloodlust, as shown when he pulled his foe closer, only to send him plummeting downwards with a right-handed smash to the skull. Upon contact, Mors tore into the barren wasteland that was once a beautiful piece of nature.

Goku crossed his arms, staring into the vast trench that Mors' impact had made with the forest grounds. From his perspective, the shadow warrior was out of sight, buried within the dirt. However, the Sayan didn't allow this to relax his mind; he kept his mind sharp and stimulated. No matter what Mors would throw at him, he would be ready—and retaliate with twice as much force.

Suddenly, Mors began to rise from out of the ground, his body calm—more poised than it'd ever been. He'd stilled his mind, it seemed; he'd blocked out the pain of loss. As he rose, Mors surrounded himself in a deep black aura, closing his eyes in meditation for a brief moment. When he opened his eyes, they were a blood red, a stark contrast to his previously-colored onyx irises

"Intruder…" he spoke, his pitch soft, yet his tone chillingly dark. "I will not allow you to live. First, you slaughter my comrades… then you ruin this clearing's beauty… you can never be forgiven for what you've done to the Spatosians."

Dashing forward, Mors began to dematerialize into nothingness; Goku's response was to let out a loud, arrogant laugh. "It seems everything you do relies on that technique of your-"

THUUM! Mors had reappeared where he was, using his speed to instantly close the gap between him and his foe, decking Goku across the face with a rapid blow. With lightning-fast movement, he then quickly swerved around his foe and struck the Saiyan in the spine with a two-handed attack, sending the spiky-haired soldier flying forwards involuntarily.

Goku quickly halted his flight, turning around just in time to catch Mors' roundhouse kick. He then threw his own punch, but the shadow warrior ducked under it and fired off a series of quick, stunning blows to the armored warrior's ribcage. Incapacitated by the rapid barrage, he was helpless as Mors finished his combination with a reverse-heel kick that forced him to the ground.

Upon seeing the ground below him, Goku suddenly cursed. _Damn it! What do I do?!_

The answer came within a moment—he had to trust his inner warrior, the same warrior that had viciously beaten Mors. In this moment, Goku sacrificed his levelheadedness for power, the power he so needed for victory.

He landed on all fours before suddenly looking upwards, his eyes tainted with a primal look. Above him was Mors, approaching him in a fashion similar to a comet. Goku twisted his body, preparing to duel with his foe once more.

In that moment, he didn't think—he just acted.

"Hyaah!" Goku dashed upwards, throwing a fist that caught Mors across the face; however, the shadow warrior retaliated with a fearsome kick to the stomach. Both warriors recoiled in pain for a brief moment before colliding again, each throwing flurries of blows—while Goku was able to hit much harder than Mors, the latter's speed was what allowed him to hold his own in the clash.

Suddenly, a blue flare of light surrounded Goku's body; as a result, the next two blows Mors landed were unable to faze him in the slightest. In this moment, the Saiyan smirked, connecting with a precisely aimed punch that sent the shadow warrior barreling backwards. He quickly recovered, dematerializing out of sight.

"Your technique allows you to mask your energy and movement very well," Goku noted, a sadistic grin on his face. "…But, well, those aren't the only ways to figure you out…" He lifted the back of his hand, smacking Mors' face and sending him stumbling backwards.

Goku then quickly pivoted on his heel and lunged forward, burying his fist within Mors' abdomen again. _Just like Aquarn did… target one specific part of the body… _He then hammered the shadow warrior to the ground before brutally kneeing the snow-haired warrior's ribcage.

"Y-You won't get away with this… I swear it…" Mors whispered, his body convulsing with pure and utter hatred of his foe. For once, he'd experienced true emotion—such a shame it had to be one of negativity.

The Saiyan warrior, reveling in his wounded prey, picked up Mors and delivered one last agonizing blow to his foe's stomach, eliciting another scream of pain from the Shadow Triad's leader.

"Do you understand?" the armored warrior growled ferally, pulling the wounded warrior closer to meet him eye-to-eye. His deadly gaze struck fear into Mors' irises. "Your vanishing ability… you may move at ridiculously fast speeds, but, when you do so… every aspect of your body travels with you. Your ability allows you to move faster than your energy does, which results in it being masked—however, this means that it takes a few precious moments for it to return to your body. Those few moments can cost you…" Goku grinned, placing his hand on Mors' ribcage. "…just like it did against me."

Summoning a blue pulse of energy within his palm, the Saiyan spoke the last words the shadow warrior would ever hear. "Galick Flare!"

Throwing his opponent into the air, Goku spread his energy into both of his palms and fired an azure beam of energy that pierced through Mors' torso. He fell to the ground, lifeless and broken, unable to recall upon a single sensation he'd experienced that fateful day.

Walking over to him, Goku saw his foe's glazed eyes, devoid of any life whatsoever. He grinned at the sight, proud that he'd tangled with multiple foes at once and emerged the victor.

Now that the battle was over, Goku allowed himself to think rationally once more—again, there was that voice… screaming at him, telling him he was wrong… however, he tuned it out, his sole focus being to carry out his mission successfully. In addition to this voice, however, there was one that goaded him onwards, persuaded him that he was right in slaughtering these fools.

"You all lost… and within a few hours' time, your people will have lost their lives as well."

* * *

_This is easily SotF's shortest chapter, even more so than the chapters I so detest(and will re-write eventually), 7 and 8. Speaking of, explanations this chapter: the Galick Flare is indeed a piercing beam, which is why Goku was able to catch Soba off-guard 8 chapters ago. Observing the Shadow Sneak is what allowed Goku to understand Instant Transmission faster—however, as I say in the Q&A this chapter, he's not done with seeing the technique in action._

_I couldn't go on writing without ruining the tone of the end of this chapter, hence why it was so short. I also wanted to write this chapter to get back into writing trim—I know that I promised that updates would occur slower, but I hadn't planned on them being _this _slow. After my vacation, I started work at a summer camp, which drained me, subsequently preventing me from writing for a while. In fact, I wrote this entire chapter in two hours and didn't even look it over once for any mistakes—if that doesn't explain my time constraints, I don't know what does._

_Anyway, this special will be ending with the release of Chapter 18. I've decided that I will only need two more chapters to convey what I need to rationalize Goku's change. I cannot give you a timeframe for when I will be able to write these chapters; as I've said, I've become rather busy as of late. Rest assured, however, that these chapters will be much longer than this one was._

_Again, sorry for such a long wait and with such little reward—however, it had to be done, real life is a priority. I hope to see you all tune in for the next chapter, where things pick up for the final two parts of this special and the writing(hopefully) returns to its former quality, if not better. _

**Now that the Shadow Triad have all fallen to Goku's hand, will the Spatosians stand any chance of surviving Goku's wrath? And what of these voices within Goku's head, one of heroism and one of villainy? Which path will Goku walk down? Find out, next time on **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	17. The Death of Son Goku: Regression

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 5: Regression**

A sole light, contrasting with the purple sky of Planet Spatios, flickered in the upper atmosphere as it made its way towards civilization. If one were to look toward this light, they would, quite clearly, notice it struggle within the air—almost as if it were conflicted. The light seemed to flicker and fade dully one moment, yet flare and brighten proudly the next. What was this? It was the light: the hero, Son Goku—against the darkness: Son Goku, the killer.

No less than five minutes ago, he'd brutally slain the Shadow Triad, protectors and guardians of their homeworld. In all actuality, this purge was all but done; all that remained to do was slaughter the Spatosians and return back to base. One would think that, at first glance, it was a simple and mundane task.

Now, for Son Goku, this was both his simplest task and his worst nightmare. He couldn't explain it… there was something within his consciousness that screamed against his actions, condemned him for taking a life—or rather, three lives—so easily. It told him that he had no true heart, that he was incapable of remorse.

Was that true?

Truthfully, he didn't know.

Remorse was a word that Goku knew well in his past life; however, as a soldier, he only knew it as a term—a term Frieza _loathed_. What his master wanted was efficiency; he wasn't exactly the biggest advocate of doubt or regret. Was this sensation of confliction, no matter how faint or powerful, defined as remorse?

Though this voice scolded his actions, there was yet another—one that sounded demonic to the Saiyan's ears, a twisted illusion of his own voice. The distorted voice spoke with a soothing inflection, odd as it may've seemed, telling him what he did was right—after all, wasn't it his right to act in self-defense against three highly-trained warriors?

Of course, that was counteracted by the argument of the armored warrior being sent to the planet in order to slaughter them, which instigated a whole new internal conflict. Goku laid a hand on his forehead, trying to drown out these honeyed words. However, it was quite apparent that they wouldn't be leaving him alone any time soon; they wanted him to join their respective causes.

He was never alone, it seemed. All through his flight through the indigo atmosphere, as he passed through the stars that glistened down on the planet, these voices continued to attack his exposed mind like a feral animal would to a fresh piece of meat.

Suddenly, he was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw a city, illuminated in a plethora of bright, flashing lights, beneath his silver-tipped boots. This city, in a wild contrast with the dark and eerie tone of the forests, was rather jaunty and lively. A form of classical, elegant music could be heard all around the bustling metropolis, and the Spatosians themselves—rather humanoid creatures—could be seen conversing normally, living their lives casually.

Perplexed, Goku crossed his arms, landing softly on the rooftop of a tall blue complex. It didn't make sense; weren't these warriors ruthless savages? Wasn't fighting what they thrived on? How they survived?

_This can't be right… _the Saiyan told himself. Suddenly, a cacophony of emotions began to swell within the armored warrior, emotions that Goku had never felt before—and certainly not all at once. Small tinges of sorrow, happiness, and confusion surged through his mind simultaneously; immediately, the voices were back again, spurring him onwards.

Within a split-moment, Goku found himself on his knees again, panting heavily. _My wounds… I still haven't completely healed from battle… and these damn voices… make them stop..._ He found himself clutching his head in agony, scratching, clawing at himself in a futile attempt to drive away the source of his mental torture.

The nauseating feeling of guilt swept over his conscience like a tidal wave to a sandy beach, causing Goku to keel over, his head smashing into the pavement of the finely constructed building. If one were to look, they would see a firm crack within the structure.

A moment later, it collapsed, immediately taking the lives of hundreds—if not thousands—of people.

* * *

Dazed and confused. Two words that, oddly enough, could describe the emotions of both Goku and the Spatosian people in the aftermath of this disruption to society.

Using his two gloved hands to feel around, Goku pulled himself out of the building's fallen debris, looking at the congregation of citizens that had amassed by the incident. A moment later, he locked eyes with the crowd—they shook in horror, in fear, in trepidation of the man before him.

"Intruder…" one civilian shuddered, his eyes darting around nervously. "Please… someone call for the Triad…"

Suddenly, as though a switch had been flipped deep within his mind, the Saiyan let out an arrogant howl of laugher, his voice sounding far lower and menacing than usual. He reveled in their fear, which progressively increased with each step he took forward. "Oh, those three weaklings? Let me recall their names, if I may…" He continued his cold, calculating walk forward, smirking maliciously. "Mors…" he hissed, drawing ever closer to the crowd of denizens with a feral growl.

Suddenly, an azure flare of light began to illuminate the night indigo sky as Goku uttered his next word. "Decrementi…" He grew ever closer to the pack of Spatosians; they were frozen in horror, their fates already having been sealed.

At last, the sphere in his right palm compressed itself into a miniscule speck of light. The Saiyan allowed himself one glance at the sphere before he lifted his eyes once more—to everyone's horror, they were filled with lust… a lust that only death would satiate.

"…Cadere."

And with the utterance of that final name, Goku let the energy sphere loose, utterly obliterating each and every organism in his fiery, unrelenting wrath. The uproar immediately caused a spark to run ablaze; it didn't take more than just a few split-seconds for a fire to arise within the rather large settlement. Those who saw the fire, predictably, began running without reason, their sole objective being to escape from whatever monstrosity had emerged.

Almost immediately—and, oddly enough, without full awareness of his surroundings—Goku dashed forward, swiftly destroying a complex with a quickly charged blast. How many lives had he snuffed out? Hundreds? Thousands? He didn't know. However, what he did know is that the Saiyan within him—that snarling, raging beast—craved more.

Though he wasn't fully conscious of his surroundings, he wasn't about to deny the high he felt from doing so. His heart was beating intensely, his body tensed up—all with the thrill of one more kill.

He couldn't deny it in this instant. Even if Son Goku, Earth's champion, had been fully aware of his surroundings, not even he would be tempted to deny his thirst for death and destruction. The beast within had a split-moment of satiation when the spiky-haired hero had slaughtered the King of the Arlian people—and now that he'd experienced it, all the Saiyan wanted was more…

He then spun around and saw a crowd beginning to run; his primal instincts forced him to dash forward, aiming at the center of the crowd with his outstretched leg.

THUUM! Goku's well-aimed attack crushed the solar plexus of a fleeing woman, forcing her to stumble backwards and unintentionally push the crowd behind her into the ever-growing flames of hell.

The Saiyan then took to the skies, spotting a garrison of humanoid men rushing towards his former location with a hearty battle cry.

"Fools," he muttered, extending his arm to the city below. "There is no resistance." With that, he fired a barrage of energy waves that were precisely aimed for a flame-tinted building.

BRRGH! They collided, causing the infrastructure of the building to topple over and smash with a loud THUNK into the streets—this effectively cut off the garrison's pathway.

They had no options—none of the soldiers could fly, nor did they have any true technology that could help them. They'd relied on the Shadow Triad to drive everyone away; now, in retrospect, even the most dim-witted individual could realize that mistake would prove to be fatal in the end.

Naturally, with no other course of action to take, they panicked.

Their screams were terrible shrieks of unmistakable anguish, ones that sounded like music to Goku's ears. Closing his eyes in sadistic bliss, he heard their cries as the flames slowly coiled around their bodies before beginning to sear their bodies into nothing more than melded, charred bone.

To Son Goku, the killer, this was beautiful music that couldn't be performed better.

However... where there is always darkness, there is always light. No matter how far locked away it is, it exists somewhere within—somewhere deep down within all of us. Hope can never be extinguished, though valiantly as one may try. Though it may not be heard right away, there is the answer to all living things that cry out for peace. There is always a protector of the innocent, even if he is not seen, nor heard. There is always hope. There is always truth.

And, in that moment, Earth's champion reawakened, his eyes opening to the truth.

He couldn't go through with it.

Goku closed his eyes once more—this time, not in bliss, but in agony, agony comparable to those of the dying souls beneath him. "…How could I do this? How could I expect to slaughter a race with no remorse? I'm no Frieza…"

"_But what of Raditz?" _his subconscious boomed, trying to lull his mind back into its cage. That twisted distortion of his own voice caused him to shiver slightly. _"Your brother… doesn't he slaughter for a living? Doesn't he kill under Frieza's reign?"_

"Rgh…" he muttered, trying to drown out this false illusion. "Killing will get me nowhere… Frieza's bound to kill me anyway; he knows I'm a Saiyan, like my brother. He was brought up to kill—I don't remember a damn thing," Goku whispered, his voice growing stronger and stronger by the moment, like a volcano slowly building up to eruption, "AND I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" His magnificent azure aura flared around his armored figure, almost as if reflecting his pure rage. "I AM _NOT _A SLAVE TO ANYONE! NOT TO ZARBON, NOT TO FRIEZA, AND CERTAINLY NOT YOU!"

Goku's trained eye quickly spotted a figure, broken and battered, sprawled out helplessly on the ground. From the looks of it, the organism was quite injured; their arm had been incinerated by the mighty flames, leaving absolutely no trace of the ligament behind.

Suddenly, he felt a multitude of power signals on their way—apparently, these Spatosians possessed the ability to fly, judging by how rapidly they were approaching.

He didn't wait a moment longer.

Racing downwards, the spiky-haired hero flew in an arc and quickly grasped the Spatosian's one arm before yanking the humanoid upwards, saving them from total incineration. Goku then quickly flew upwards to avoid the sea of fire; he then doubled his speed as he began his journey back into the forests.

* * *

When he awoke earlier in the morning, young Scinden hadn't expected much strife to occur. The Shadow Triad, the protectors of Spatios, had always ensured that no conflict crossed their path—always. They were an unstoppable force; there was no force that had the power to subdue them… especially Mors, his elder brother.

When the embers had been kindled, everything had become a blur. From the nauseating smoke that clouded his mind to the trampling he'd had to endure, Scinden had been helpless as the inferno swarmed him, slowly burning away his left arm. Being at the tender age of eight, the poor child couldn't endure so much pain before he suddenly blanked out.

As he came to, he saw a man, dressed in a peculiar armor, standing on the precipice of a cliff. Of course, his first thought was to inquire of his current location, though the radically-dressed man beat him to it.

"You're safe now. There was an outbreak in your city, which resulted in a terrible fire that burned everything down to ashes. There was a man that watched as everyone him burned into nothingness…" the spiky-haired organism turned, crouching down. "…And I'm about to make that man pay."

He then leapt into the air before adding on an extra burst of speed, leaving a luminescent trail of a pale blue hue behind him.

* * *

_Hey, thanks for reading this new update! It's taken me a while to crank this out, but I'm glad I did; it was an eventful chapter. _

_I tried a new style of writing for the destruction scene, if you didn't notice. I have no idea if it worked or was even remotely convincing, but it was definitely a lot of fun to write._

_Surprisingly, I don't really have all that much to say, other than that I really had fun writing this chapter and that I hope you all enjoy. Next chapter is the thrilling conclusion of the DoSG arc, and I can't say I'm not excited. Not only will this reveal Goku's change, but also lead us into the Namek Saga, which I've been rather interested in writing about._

**What could Goku mean by making himself pay? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	18. The Death of Son Goku: Termination

**The Death of Son Goku – Part 6: Termination**

The room was dark, damp, and dusty. Barely any light illuminated the room due to the lack of windows, resulting in his vision being rather hazy. He could only make out his immediate surroundings—a bed to his left, a toilet to his right, and the outline of a door abreast him.

_This… is what I deserve,_ he told himself, knees to his chest as he began to shiver. He'd only been within this complex for five minutes, and already he'd resigned himself to his fate. Had Frieza seen him now, he would laugh—laugh at the foolishness of Raditz's beliefs. How could he ever recover from memory loss to become who he once was? How could he remember how to kill without remorse, to slaughter without hesitancy?

In the past week, Son Goku had become a whole new person—much more so than he would ever comprehend. He'd lost everything near and dear to him, and it was quite apparent that, no matter how arduously he tried, he would never be able to reclaim all that he loved. All his trials, his tribulations, they were all truly for naught.

Raditz had been deemed a failure in Lord Frieza's eyes, from what his brother had told him. But, in the end, it appeared Goku was just as big – if not more of – a failure as him. Perhaps it ran within the bloodline. After hearing word about his homeworld's destruction, and the way it apparently had occurred, it seemed as if both his father and mother had perished instantly—gone, without a trace of honor or pride.

Had his parents looked down on him from this very moment, Goku knew that he, too, would go out in the same manner they did… alone and forgotten.

However, there was a distinct difference between the spiky-haired soldier and his parents. Unlike them, he didn't have the mental strength in order to pursue his goals. He hadn't the willpower necessary to survive in this cold, barren world. He didn't have the sense of honor that his kin had. He didn't thrive on murder; or, at least, he no longer did.

What was he like before? Was he a true Saiyan warrior, like the type that Prince Vegeta so often spoke about? Was he a ruthless and savage murderer, as the former Saiyan general, Nappa, claimed to be? Was he a pragmatist, like his brother, who attempted victory even in the bleakest of situations?

The answers to these questions would never truly be found. One thing was for sure, however. Goku would have plenty of time to reflect upon his past life…

…as he served a life's eternity in prison.

* * *

_Moments earlier…_

Ius, dressed in a deep black spandex suit, casually lounged in his reclining chair with a sigh. Why did Planet Spatios even need a prison? The Spatoisans were one of the most peaceful and serene races in the universe; surely, not even the most miscreant of souls would arrive here. They were brought up with honor—they would never do harm to their fellow man. Even if worst came to worst, the Shadow Triad would be able to subdue a threat rather easily… which, again, led him to this conclusion:

Why was he even here? In all his employment as Spatios' warden, he'd never been forced to imprison not even a single soul—any threats were immediately purged by the Triad, and the Spatosians lived in pure harmony. There was truly no need for this job.

"At least let things get exciting around here," Ius yawned, cracking his neck. "I don't know if I'll be able to just keep sitting here much longer and doing absolutely noth-"

BRRGH!

A man, dressed in an oddly colored armor, broke through the ceiling of the prison and landed on the ground face first, his body convulsing violently—whether it was from physical pain or emotional pain he didn't know, but it was quite apparent that he wasn't exactly the average Spatiosian.

"Sir!" Ius rushed to the man's side, holding two fingers to his neck; he sighed as he felt a pulse. _Good, he's alive… but why would a _Spatosian_ be roaming about in such a destructive manner?_

"…Take me away…" came the ragged whisper of the man as he clutched at his head. "…I can't be… _there…_ any longer…"

"T-There?" inquired Ius, trying to keep the man conscious—if there was a potential threat, he needed to be able to notify the Triad immediately. "Pardon me, but what are you referring to?"

"…I-I'm sorry…" he muttered, bowing his head in shame. "I slaughtered your protectors. I exterminated an entire city. I… can't live with that… please, just lock me away…"

For once in his entire life, Ius felt afraid—afraid of the man before him, his actions, and what this meant. Spatios was without its loyal guardians now; they were powerless against any future threats that may amass in the near future. He was fearful of the mass murderer at his feet, groveling and begging to be imprisoned.

But, most of all, he was fearful that the harmony and balance that had been the main attraction of Planet Spatios had been permanently disrupted. No longer was the indigo-skied planet a beautiful resort, but now a place of perpetual darkness. These people had never been subjected to true terror; there would no longer be utter bliss, but a fear of the next threat. It was apparent that this man was not alone in his actions, which meant his comrades would be assisting him not long after.

The question was not whether the people of Spatios would live or not.

The question was how long they had left to live.

* * *

"Look at yourself… in prison? You're lucky that poor weakling guarding this rubbish prison informed me of what occurred; otherwise, I'd end your life here and now."

Goku's eyes shot up, fearful of the voice he'd heard—one he so loathed, detested, more than nearly any other. Tired and fatigued, he could barely make out the teal skin of his overseer. "Zarbon…"

"As you can most likely tell by this point, Spatios is far from a home to savage beasts… such as yourself." Zarbon let out a soft laugh before flicking his ponytail over his shoulder, leaning closer to the steel bars that separated Goku from the rest of the world. "It was all a ruse, if you will. Spatios was actually a rather difficult challenge for some of our soldiers; we were eventually planning on sending your brother to conquer it. Unlike you," he hissed, "he knows how to get a job done. You see, many attacked this planet, just as you did. The Shadow Triad, their strongest protectors, easily dispatched of them with little effort. Due to this, we had to put our conquest of it on hold until we could schedule a semi-powerful warrior to efficiently purge it."

"That's a lie!" Goku growled, clenching his fists to restrain himself—he could feel the beast within, the one that so urged him to kill, ordering him to attack… but he wouldn't allow it; he just couldn't return to that state consciously. The mere sight of Zarbon was almost enough to release the sadistic wildfire that was the slayer of many. "You never would've sent someone like me! I _can't _kill another soul!"

"Ah, but didn't you, you little bloodthirsty madman?" The changeling sneered tauntingly, laughing. "I feel that the Triad would be heavily inclined to disagree with you."

"That's ENOUGH!" Goku shouted, flipping to his feet and dashing towards the beauty with his left fist outstretched. It was far too much to curb; he just couldn't take this any longer! "HYAAH!"

THUUM! The Saiyan's fist shattered through the metal that was his cell, connecting firmly with the narcissist's cheek… yet he didn't falter, his confident smirk remaining on his ever-so-smug face. He continued on, as if he weren't affected by the intensity of the blow. "After all your problems over the past week, I expressed doubt that you would ever amount to the likes of your fellow monkeys. So, to this, Lord Frieza and I worked out a simple plan: we would send you to a planet where even some of our best equipped soldiers could not succeed. If you were to succeed, you lived; if not, we'd forget all about you and the high hopes your brother placed on you. As for this… I do hope that wasn't an attempt to attack me. If we were back _home,_ Lord Frieza wouldn't exactly tolerate your code of conduct…"

"_Home?!_" Goku shrieked, globs of spittle racing forth from his maw and landing on his foe's emerald-colored locks. "That's not my home! Frieza destroyed the one place where I was happy!"

"Oh, you poor, unenlightened creature…" Zarbon's amber eyes twinkled with knowledge—the knowledge that eluded the simian before him. "If you only knew the truth about your origins…"

"DAMN YOU!" Goku threw his other fist forward, yet it was easily caught; he then tried to throw his left leg forward and bury it in his foe's abdomen, but he ended up with the same results.

"Well, well, it appears you're not all that after all, are you? Show me the ruthless warrior that slaughtered that entire city, Goku. Show me what drove you to _kill_!" Zarbon, laughing sadistically, hurled his opponent upwards and watched with derisive amusement as he broke through the upper ceiling. Before the entire infrastructure collapsed, he, too escaped by leaping into the skies of Spatios.

In the upper atmosphere, the spiky-haired soldier recoiled, both from physical pain and mental anguish. He now knew the truth—he hadn't been meant to slaughter vicious killers, but innocent, tranquil people. He was _wrong_… to take a life was already morally unjust, but to end the lives of pure, righteous people really drove it home.

He was a monster, no better than Zarbon, Dodoria… or even Frieza.

"Rgh… you want to know what drove me to kill?" Goku snarled, his eyes ablaze with fury. "Take a look in the mirror, Zarbon!" With that, he dashed downward and attempted to cross-kick his foe, though Zarbon easily evaded it and retaliated with a swift – yet brutal – jab to the stomach. The Saiyan recoiled slightly, hissing in pain. "Y-You…"

To this, the changeling raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. It appears you've improved beyond my suspicions—you may even be around your brother's level, now. " Suddenly, his face contorted into a devious smirk. "Of course, that's still nowhere near my own level of power…"

"I don't care how strong you are, or how weak I am…" the Saiyan thundered, his volume increasing with each syllable he spoke, "all that matters to me is that, by the end of today, I'll have freedom—I'll either kill you, or die trying."

"Oh, how adorable… you actually think you'll have a reprieve?" Zarbon floated backwards, his cape flowing in the small breeze his flight was generating. "Let me tell you this, my uneducated simian: you have nothing to go to. Nothing to return to. You have no home, save for the establishments Frieza provides for you. Never bite the hand that feeds you, Saiyan."

"You're acting as if death is something I don't want," snapped back Goku as he ignited his aura, the mystical shade of blue outlining his figure. "You'd be wrong." Immediately, he looked down at his palms, noticing the faint red and brown hue of his gloves. "My hands are covered with blood… blood that isn't mine. It doesn't matter if I die any longer; in fact, I welcome it. I can't live another day without knowing that I was responsible for ending thousands of lives… maybe I was able to do it before my accident, but I'm _not _like before. I can't stand what I've done, both to myself and to others. Death is only a gift at this point…"

"You're free to believe what you want, Goku. But know this… you won't be granted that wish any time soon." Zarbon extended his palm, beckoning for the Saiyan to come at him. "However, that doesn't mean that you won't be feeling utter and total pain for the rest of your miserable existence."

It was apparent that Goku was shaken up by this prospect; he almost looked as if he were resigned to his fate. At this sight, the teal alien only laughed. "Allow me to administer your first true sensation of pain…"

"N-No…" Goku whispered, bowing his head.

"Oh?" inquired the teal alien, mildly curious as to what the Saiyan was planning. "Whatever are you up to now."

"I-I… hate you…" muttered Goku. _I don't need to restrain myself… not anymore… not when I'm up against monsters like this. I-I'm… not… go-going to let everyone walk all over me. I want him dead—I want them all dead! And if the only way to get strong enough to do this is to kill them… then I'll kill them. I'll slaughter everything in my path if it means ending this bastard! Avenging everyone who died against Frieza! _"**I'LL KILL YOU!"**

To this, Zarbon smirked. "At last… welcome to our ranks, Saiyan. I promise you, it's going to hurt."

* * *

A split-moment later, an unconscious warrior could be seen falling out of the skies, his hopes and dreams utterly crushed into absolute nothingness. This man had come to Spatios with only the most pure of intentions, yet had fallen into his overseers' plan—this mission had truly molded him into a refined killer, one that slaughtered without any sort of anguish or remorse.

In a way, one could consider that, today, he perished. Everything he'd previously stood for, even before his memory loss, had utterly shattered.

A heroic life was taken on this day. And many more would be taken by this man's blood-covered hands. He would no longer feel ashamed of his actions, for, now, he held nothing but resentment and contempt within the chasms of his soul.

Truly, a death had occurred today:

The death of Son Goku.

* * *

_As I write this concluding note, it feels almost surreal, really. We've finally finished with this special, and while it took a while, we finally know the full story, the reason of Goku's regressions. This chapter was an absolute blast to write because of this—even if the quality wasn't that great, it was one of the most fun chapters I've ever had the pleasure of writing. _

_Next chapter, we return to the main storyline, and I can't lie to you and say I'm not excited. I can return to my more "normal" pace of writing, which I find to be a more compelling read. This will also result in longer chapters, around 5,000 words and up. I hope to aim higher, but it really depends on where I feel that the chapter should cut off._

_I would also like to greatly apologize for the lack of Q&A for Chapter 17. I've really been that busy with things that I hadn't even time to compose the quickest of responses; now, I shall be able to._

_You may also recognize that I made no allusion to Scinden in this chapter. Trust me, he was not forgotten about. There is a very specific reasoning for why he was not mentioned at the end._

**What will happen with the unconscious Piccolo and Gohan? What of Yamcha, who was saved by Goku's old friend, Eighter? After sparing Piccolo, what is Tien's perspective on the situation? Find out, on the next Sins of the Father!_  
_**


	19. Chapter XIX: Brave the Storm

**Namek Saga – Part 4: Brave the Storm**

As he began to wake, the Namekian felt delirious, stunned. All he could see was a perpetual field of darkness. His first thoughts were immediately of Gohan; everything in his body screamed for him to ensure the child's safety, but it was far from possible… his body was still broken and battered from Tien's vicious assault. In what appeared to be the quickest of moments, he'd been fully conscious, holding the child in his arms protectively, and then here the next. What could've happened?

Suddenly, _his _voice rang out, reverberating around him. Yet, no matter how much he tried to find his voice, it eluded him. He could feel his student's voice calling out for him, begging for his help—yet he was unable to provide it; he couldn't even see the poor child. What was he to do?

"GOHAN!" Piccolo bellowed, immediately running forward within the depths of this seemingly endless path. He couldn't let his protégé, the one person who had truly touched his heart, die—especially not as a child. There was so much more he had yet to accomplish with his life. He had a family to live for: a father to reconcile with, a mother to nurture him, and friends all around to support his growth into a true man.

On the other hand, Piccolo had none of these things. His sole purpose of creation – killing Goku – had vanished; he no longer had a tertiary objective. What would people lose if he was the one to perish? He'd made no contributions to the world—the only notable thing he could claim to his name was actually _attempting _to conquer Earth just six short years ago. He was unworthy of happiness. He didn't deserve to live; he didn't deserve the happiness that came with Gohan.

One year ago, the Namekian had taken Gohan into captivity for training—the training he would need in case of the Saiyans returning to Earth to finish what Raditz had started. The young boy had gone through the most rigorous exercises Piccolo could create; he hadn't succeeded in all of them, but the child's willpower was evident. He would brave any storm, wade through any river, climb any mountain… all for the slightest chance of ever seeing his father again.

As time went by, Piccolo had grown fond of the child—he couldn't describe the feeling; it was just… _there. _It was an odd sensation that, no matter how odd, put the former villain's heart at ease. The child's naïve, innocent outlook struck at something within him… it made him feel… wanted, accepted.

Was that reason enough to live? All he wanted now was to shield his student from the dark, cold world that his father, without a doubt, had been spirited away to. His innocence and naivety had certainly been crushed—he was most likely a mindless soldier now, working with his brother to slaughter millions of people.

He wouldn't allow that to happen to Gohan… even if it cost him his life.

"HELP!" The child wailed, his voice echoing repeatedly within the chasms of Piccolo's mind. Internally, it scathed the normally stoic warrior that he couldn't rescue his student from whatever was ailing him—hadn't he promised Gohan that he would never leave his side?

"G-GOHAN!" Piccolo roared back, feeling the inner flames of his soul begin to coil and constrict him. It began to paralyze him, wear him down… yet his fiery resolve pushed the embers back, allowing him to keep running. However, just how long could he continue to endure this endless path? Would his will give out on him?

"D-DADDY! I NEED YOU!" the hybrid shrieked, his voice cracking from the extreme pressure he was placing on it. "P-PLEASE!"

At long last, a distant figure could be made out in the darkness… was it truly…?

"GOHAN! I'M HERE!" the Namekian shouted, immediately darting over to his student's location. As he drew closer to his student, Piccolo could make out more of Gohan's features. His training gi of a purple and red coloration seemed tattered and ripped; his arms were covered with terrible, fresh bruises. What could've done this to him? In that moment, Piccolo swore he'd enact swift and utter vengeance on the culprit.

It truly tore at his heart to see his pupil in such a wounded state—not only did waves of infuriation surge through his body, he felt something even more prominent than that shine through… the urge to protect him.

If it hadn't been clear before, it certainly was now: with every fiber of his being, the Namekian truly loved the pupil he'd taken on a year ago.

Fate could certainly be a roller coaster. In one moment, Piccolo was a villain attempting to conquer the Earth, and in the next, a protector of the son of the very man he was born to kill.

But Piccolo wouldn't have it any other way.

This was his life's destiny—he was sure of it. There was a reason why his conquest for world domination had failed, and it appeared that this was the reason why. Unlike his father, who had committed so many sins in his lifetime, he was a protector—one who fought to protect his charge.

Just as he was about to reach down and help the child…

* * *

"…Rgh… Gohan… GAH!"

Piccolo bolted awake, beads of sweat rolling down his lime brow. His breathing was heavy and rapid, though his own health wasn't a concern at the moment—all that mattered was Gohan. Was he safe?

"You're finally awake, Piccolo."

As soon as he heard those words, the Namekian immediately pricked up, flinching. However, a moment later, he found the other organism in the room had made no move to attack him.

"Gohan… he cares about you a lot, doesn't he?" asked the figure, his back turned towards the Namekian—he was staring into the eyes of the sun, never wavering in his stance. "It must be nice… to have someone who you can trust that way."

"You know the feeling, Tien—possibly greater than anyone," came the reply of the green-skinned warrior. Taking a deep, yet shaky, breath to support himself, he continued on. "You have Chiaotzu, someone who looks up to you and values your company more than everyone else in the entire world."

"You're right…" mumbled Tien, moving from the window to sit in a chair beside Piccolo's hospital bed. "When I was away, training in the Other World, I broke that bond with Chiaotzu. We never shared even a word for the entirety of my training. The feeling that I had… it stung me. I don't ever want to endure it again." His head bowed, as if he were ashamed about his next words. "I think… that's why I didn't kill you. You were sprawled on the ground, beaten… but Gohan was right there. Despite what you've done over the years, you helped raise Goku's son into what he is today. Even if I still feel utter contempt and rage for your previous actions, I… I can respect your friendship with him."

Piccolo tried to shift himself upwards in his bed, but his wounds were far too great—he let out a small growl of discomfort as he sank back down to his lying position. _Gohan… I can feel his presence nearby… he must be recovering in a separate room._ "He may be Goku's son, but he doesn't possess the natural talents of his father. Training him wasn't exactly a cakewalk. He was sloppy, he was uncoordinated… but, even so, there was one thing that even he outshined his father in."

"W-What was it?" Tien asked, his curiosity being piqued. Goku was always one to be extremely talented in all aspects of battle; what could Gohan possibly have that the Earth-raised Saiyan hadn't?

Piccolo, though wounded, somehow found it within him to smirk. However, this smirk was not one of maliciousness… it was one of pride, of happiness. "Willpower… that boy has a determination far beyond anything I've ever witnessed. At the mention of his father, he's immediately revitalized and rejuvenated, ready to keep fighting. If he concentrates enough, there's no challenge he can't overcome. You saw it… the way he attacked Yamcha so gallantly and recklessly. He's willing to do anything to protect those that he cares about, even if one he cares about doesn't have the most… _heroic_… of backgrounds."

"Speaking of," replied Tien. "Before we battled, when I returned from Other World, I was told about what happened with Gohan nine months ago. Apparently, he became some sort of giant ape and began wildly attacking everything in sight. You, Yamcha, and Krillin were able to bring him down… but then… Krillin…" The thought almost evoked the burning rage he'd experienced before, but he refused to allow it to overcome him once more. He'd been a power-hungry, corrupted soul upon his return to the living realm, only to have been stopped by seeing that Gohan had befriended Piccolo similar to a manner in which Goku had befriended him. No matter what, it wouldn't envelop him again.

"…You deserve the truth, Tien." Piccolo turned his head to his left side, wincing as he did so. His injuries were still severe, it seemed. "Most of that story is completely accurate. Goku's race has the ability to transform into giant, simian-like creatures, much like Raditz did in our battle a year ago. Gohan did the same thing, becoming a threat that could've possibly wiped out the Earth, had Krillin, Yamcha, and I not been on-hand to stop it. Working together, we were able to restrain him… however, when I cut off his tail, the excess energy that Gohan had been gathering launched prematurely, completely decimating the area where Krillin was recovering."

All three of Tien's eyes widened at the sudden realization; it couldn't have been… was the death of Krillin actually responsible for…? "N-No… so it wasn't you, but…"

"Yes." Piccolo turned his head back to face Tien eye-to-eye, his solemn expression never faltering. "Gohan was the one to kill Krillin. I took the blame, however—not only would it scar him emotionally, but because you always saw him as innocent, pure. If I was the one to kill Krillin, though, it would've been expected… after all, you and your friends only saw me as the son of King Piccolo, the demon."

He paused for a beat, taking in and mulling over all this new information. Then, suddenly, and without any hesitation, Tien spoke.

"I believe you."

To say Piccolo was surprised would be an absolute understatement; he was stupefied by the human's acceptance of his story. From what he knew of Tien, he was one of the most pragmatic and non-trusting of the Z-Fighters—why the sudden trust? "What're you talking about? What's the catch?"

"Why do you assume there's a catch? I said that I believe you," snapped back Tien. He then realized the inflection of his tone, taking a deep breath to relax himself; afterwards, he continued to speak. "It makes sense, that's all. Whether you like it or not, Piccolo, it's clear as crystal that Gohan changed you for the better. You did a good thing by training him for the past year, despite all the challenges that came with it. I'm not about to turn my back on your generosity by killing you… even if I came close to it before."

Suddenly, a pang of emotion flooded Piccolo's heart. The exact emotion was unidentifiable, but it came in like a torrent and enveloped the Namekian in a way he'd never felt possible before. Was it… gratitude? He didn't know—but, more importantly, he didn't know how to express it, either. The only one who could break past the Namekian's emotional barriers was Gohan; Piccolo's emotions were repressed when it came to nearly everyone else.

"…Thanks, Tien." Piccolo awkwardly shifted himself in the hospital bed, cracking his neck—again, he let out a growl of pain, though he paid it no true heed. "Speaking of Gohan's training… he's ready. When he's motivated, he can fight—extremely well, in fact. Of course, his skill could use some refining, but he's nothing like the crybaby he was a year ago. With the right training, he could even transcend our level of power."

"Again, thank you for training him," Tien said, giving him an appreciative nod. "You've given us a new protector, one we're going to need if the Saiyans return to finish what Goku's brother started."

"Think nothing of it," retorted the Namekian. "All that matters now is that we're able to be ready for the Saiyans upon their arrival."

"Speaking of, Piccolo… once we fill everyone in on the situation, what's next for you? Where will you go?" Though it was too much to voice, the triclops hoped that his former foe wouldn't regress to his former, solitary self. He'd come so far within the past year, both as a person and as a warrior… Tien didn't want to see all of it wither away as if it'd never existed.

Piccolo turned his gaze to the open window of his hospital room, looking out into the vibrant metropolis. He could hear the loud, blaring horns of the cars; he could hear the roaring chatter of all those hurrying around to their destination… it irritated him. He'd always been one for tranquility and serenity. "I don't know, Tien. Gohan's mother wouldn't exactly take so well to me living with her and Gohan, nor would Kami and I get along well on the Lookout. I'll most likely be dwelling back in the wastelands, training for the Saiyans."

Tien frowned, unsatisfied with Piccolo's answer. "You could always—"

"_Tien! Tien!" _came a nasal-pitched voice. Piccolo's eyes immediately darted around the perimeter of his hospital room, searching for the culprit of the voice. Tien, however, simply looked upwards.

"King Kai? Is that you?" he asked, surprised—he hadn't known of his mentor's telepathic abilities. "What's so urgent that you needed to contact me? Has something gone awry in Other World?"

"_Quite the contrary, Tien. In fact, there's something I thought you would want to know… I've picked up news regarding your friend, Son Goku."_

Both Tien and Piccolo shared a collective glance before their gaze went to the ceiling of the hospital once more. Had Goku escaped from his brother's captivity? Had he somehow managed to find refuge somewhere peaceful? There were so many questions, and now, finally, the truth would be learned.

"_I don't have very much information, but I have enough to inform you of recent events. You see…"_

* * *

"Come on!" cried Goku, rapidly swerving around a corner of the ship's hallways. He knew each path like the back of his hand, possibly even more than Frieza and his subordinates did. Having served a year underneath the tyrant's beck and call, the Saiyans were far more prepared than one would expect. They'd planned to rebel… but nowhere near this point in time. However, as the warriors they were, they needed to adapt, to improvise. They had nothing to lose, yet everything to gain. The only question was: could victory

"Shut up!" came the hiss of Raditz, his tone in a hushed whisper. "They can hear you if you're not careful enough, idiot. We've come so far; the last thing we need is for a foolish mistake to bring us down. We don't even have Vegeta with us..."

"That doesn't matter," mumbled Goku as he continued to run at his full speed. "Vegeta or no Vegeta, Frieza's going to pay for what he's done to us… even if we don't survive past this day…"

"There they are!" came a soldier's voice; Goku and Raditz immediately rushed forward and silenced him with a blow each to the alien's center. He immediately slumped forward, unconscious. For good measure, Goku and Raditz fired twin spheres of energy behind them to accommodate for their slight loss in speed. Once again, smoke filled the air, providing them cover for escape… but would they be able to capitalize?

"Well, you are right about one thing: you won't be living past today."

Goku and Raditz only had a moment to react before the slim, yet agile, form of Frieza rammed the Saiyans through the spaceship's wall, tearing through it and sending the Saiyans tumbling onto the cold, hard ground of Frieza Planet #67.

"D-Damn it…" Raditz lowly growled, slamming his fist into the dirt below him. "I-I didn't think that he'd be so fast…"

"H-Heh… it all makes sense now…" Goku, though he was wounded by Frieza's devastatingly powerful blow, somehow managed to find the strength to get to one knee. "You knew that your soldiers stood no chance—you just wanted to test us… because you're afraid."

As they stood, they stood as one. Goku and Raditz, two of the last surviving Saiyan warriors in the galaxy, would stand up to their race's exterminator. If they won, they would redeem their race's name. If they lost, they would be forever forgotten. It all rested on this very moment.

Frieza, however, merely continued levitating in the air, his sinister smirk never once faltering. His garnet eyes sized up the two monkeys, amused with the thought of them actually giving him, Lord Frieza, a challenge. They were fools… nothing more. "As if I'd admire your strength, monkeys. However, I do admire your courage. You've gone beyond any of my expectations of you—especially you, Raditz." The comment received a burning scowl from the Saiyan in question, only causing Frieza to chuckle. "You both remind me a lot of your father… he stood up to me in a similar fashion. However, unlike before, I won't be destroying this planet—I have too many resources on this planet. I guess that means we'll be able to give our goodbyes in a far more… scarring ending."

"Do you think we're intimidated by words like that, Frieza!?" Goku yelled. The jig was up—he no longer had to refer to the lizard-resembling being as his overlord. It was already a liberating feeling, one he hoped to experience more of in the future. Ultimately, however, fate would be the only one to make that decision.

"You clearly underestimate the might of the Saiyan people!" Raditz continued furiously, his voice filled with emotion. While one would normally expect the Saiyan to be more spineless in the face of this seemingly insurmountable challenge, his Saiyan blood was pumping in the face of this challenge. He was ready for the fight of his life, regardless of the outcome. "We've been lying in wait, biding our time… but now, the time has come. We're either going to kill you, or die trying!"

"Don't get your hopes up on the former, monkeys. Unless you become the "Super Saiyan" Vegeta prances on and on about, you'll never stand a chance against my unrivaled power." Frieza descended to the ground, his tail firmly smacking against the gray, asteroid-like ground of his sixty-seventh planet. "However, since you seem to have forgotten just how terrifying I can be… let me remind you!"

* * *

Silence was all that greeted Prince Vegeta as he roamed the planet of Tormos, a barren wasteland with nothing more than yellow skies and a azure-blue ground. The cities had been completely destroyed; the forests were utterly vaporized. All that remained was complete, utter nothingness.

"Tch… it appears someone's already gone and done my job for me." Vegeta took to the skies, crossing his arms as he surveyed the desolate. "Frieza must be stalling for time—yes, that's it. He knows I'll surpass him any day now, and that he stands no chance against the might of a Super Saiyan!" It all made sense now, the coward. Who would dare to cross Vegeta's path?

"We meet again, Prince_ss_ Vegeta."

Turning his head, Vegeta only had a split-moment to block Turles' punch before another one broke through his defenses, sending him tumbling backwards in the yellow skies of Tormos. He barely had the time to stabilize himself in mid-air when the Saiyan lunged at him once more, phasing out of sight.

"Tch! Figures you'd attempt a cheap shot, Turles!" Vegeta shouted, illuminating himself in his bright purple aura. As he, too, was about to disappear, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder; he immediately thrust his elbow back, but that, too, was caught by the figure.

"You never did learn how to watch your back for battles, Vegeta," hissed the figure, tightening his grip on the prince. "Nor your allies' backs," he added with a scowl.

His eyes widened with shock and horror; it couldn't have been! There was no way that that oaf had survived, much less allied himself with this excuse for a Saiyan!

"N-Nappa?!" Vegeta cried out in disbelief, attempting to worm his way out of his former comrade's grasp. Alas, it was a futile effort on the flame-haired Saiyan's part; Nappa's arms remained as strong as ever.

As if on cue, Turles reappeared directly in front of the prince's face, smirking wildly. "You were foolish to have left me alive, Vegeta. I've survived for decades on my own…" He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. Then, suddenly, a firm fist lodged itself into Vegeta's stomach, eliciting a wretch of pain from the flame-haired Saiyan's lips. "…What makes you think I couldn't survive yet another near-death situation?"

"As for me…" started Nappa, growling furiously—he'd gone through the most intense pain due to the man in his grip now, and he was about to enact every drop of his revenge. "You finished the job, all right. However, the Tree of Might was enough to stimulate my heart for enough time to escape… I went through surgery… through hell… to live, but a true Saiyan warrior always pulls through in the end. And now, Vegeta, you're going to feel pain like you've never experienced…"

"You must've both gone through a lot of pain to amount to the levels you're at now," commented Vegeta, his characteristic smirk finding its way to his face even in this dire situation. "I wonder, though… can it match the might of a Super Saiyan? RAAH!"

With a sudden shout, Vegeta ignited his pale aura and concentrated his energy, releasing it all around him in a massive field of ki. Being caught off-guard, Turles was sent barreling backwards; Nappa was able to keep his grip on Vegeta for a split-moment longer before being ultimately flung away as well.

Satisfied, Vegeta dissipated his aura and lunged forth, throwing a firm chop that smashed into Turles' side. Wincing, Turles was forced to recoil slightly from the attack's force, leaving him prone to a brutal fist that snapped his head back; Vegeta then phased behind his foe and executed a cross-kick that firmly connected with the base of his foe's spine and sent him tumbling downwards toward the ground.

"Is that all you've got?" questioned Vegeta, crossing his arms with a laugh. "I expected better from you. After all, don't you thrive in dangerous situations? Show me what allowed you to live all these years!"

Turles, who had since landed on the ground, looked upwards with a furious scowl—blood now ran down the side of his mouth in a steady stream, making him look even more demonic. "How dare you?! Are you challenging my Saiyan honor?!"

"Saiyan honor?!" spat Vegeta, angered by his fellow Saiyan's words. How _dare_ this mockery of a Saiyan, who had previously laughed in the face of his heritage, attempt to try and bask in the glorious honor of being a Saiyan? "You have no right! You're unworthy of being called a Saiyan, you piece of trash! Either get out of my sight right now, or face your death!"

"Big talk for the guy who no longer has his tail!" yelled Turles, standing fully erect once more. He'd fully recovered from his previous skirmish before; there was no holding back any longer. He would either prove himself in combat, or fall to the arrogant Prince Vegeta, whom he so detested.

Suddenly, Turles remembered one crucial factor in this battle. Turning his head to the right, he saw Nappa, levitating in the air, his eyes locked on the prince. _That simply won't do… Vegeta will suffer total humiliation, and to do that… _"Nappa! I want you to refrain from fighting. This will be _my_ battle with Vegeta."

"Oh?" Vegeta was genuinely surprised by Turles' order to his subordinate. In that moment, he felt something odd… it was indescribable, but it felt oddly like respect…

Mentally slapping himself upside the head, Vegeta scowled; the Saiyan before him had no true honor. Turles was a disgrace to all the Saiyans who fought for their pride and glory… nothing more, nothing less. The poor, classless idiot didn't even deserve to lick the dirt off his boots, much less challenge him to combat.

Yet… looking beyond all of their differences, they were both Saiyans; both had fought through hell and back to get to where they were today. Though they may have walked down different roads, each more painful than the other, both could appreciate, in their own way, the challenge before them.

It was with this silent revelation that both knew this battle was destined to take place. Nodding to each other perceptibly, both prepared for their second duel.

"Are you ready to see the might of a true Saiyan warrior, Vegeta?" Turles prepared to leap into the air, his eyes blazing with determination. This was it… all he'd been fighting for would culminate in this final clash with the Saiyan Prince.

"If you think you can beat me, you're sorely mistaken. We'll see just how long that false sense of pride lasts!" Vegeta rolled his left hand into a fist before pointing it down at Turles. "Let's end this!"

"Your fate has already been sealed, Vegeta." Turles' scowl transformed into a feral grin as he looked up at his foe, who immediately scowled at the confidence that his foe so brazenly displayed. "It's just a matter of how you go out."

Immediately taking the initiative, the Saiyan Prince lunged towards the ground and threw his left leg in an arc, aiming for the doppelganger's skull. Swiftly, Turles lifted his arm and parried the spandex-covered boot away before aiming upwards with a devastating uppercut to the jaw. The blow sent Vegeta flying back into the upper atmosphere of Tormos, though the renegade Saiyan wasn't done yet; he gave chase to his opponent while laughing manically.

The prince, though wounded, somehow found the strength within to stabilize himself in mid-air and refocus on his foe. "Grgh… you think one blow is enough to send me packing? You're sorely mistaken!" Immediately, he charged a sphere of a scarlet hue in his palm, winding his arm back as if he were about to pitch a baseball. "Burn in hell, low-class! RAH!"

With that, he flung his arm forward and fired his attack, watching with a primal growl as it rushed towards Turles—however, contrary to Vegeta's predictions, the doppelganger didn't seem to be afraid. If anything, he seemed to grow more excited, much like a Saiyan would in the face of battle.

As he raced upwards, the spiky-haired Saiyan focused some of his energy into his palm and promptly smacked the fiery ball of ki to the side. "Is that all you've got, your royal highness?!"

Vegeta didn't even have the chance to retort; suddenly, he found a knee lodged within his stomach. Doubling over, he spit up a fresh spray of blood; Turles only continued his assault by gripping the prince by his hair and hurling him to the side. From there, he let his aura envelop his figure and immediately darted off to re-engage in combat with the flame-haired Saiyan.

But the prince wasn't done quite yet. No, his pride – his _honor _– told him to stand in the face of this challenge. In this moment, it didn't matter that his foe was a low-class, nor did it matter that he had no true appreciation for his Saiyan ancestry. What mattered was defending what mattered most to a Saiyan: their love of fighting.

Frieza may have enslaved him, made him into a soldier—but that was far from enough to extinguish the fire that raged within a Saiyan heart. There was one thing that, no matter how arduously the Arcosian attempted to quell him of, would always reside within Vegeta's soul… the love of fighting. To test his skill against one of his more formidable opponents was an opportunity that Vegeta was rather excited for. As such, he couldn't suppress the wild, primal grin that spread his face.

"I wonder… even with all that bravado… do you still experience fear?"

* * *

"You're kidding!" Tien gaped in awe, stunned at the revelation. "Goku… I just don't believe he could take a life so freely…"

"That's not the main point, Tien," interjected Piccolo. "We know that this business, the Planet Trade, intends to go to Namek and take the Dragon Balls for themselves. I'm certain that they've got at least one powerful defender, which would result in them sending the Saiyans." He ignored the revelation of learning about his origins—while it came as a shock to him, what they needed to focus on was the whereabouts of Goku.

"_We have fair reason to believe that the Saiyans would be recruited for this task,"_ said King Kai. _"I recommend that you intercept them on Namek and take care of them before any harm befalls the Namekian people. They're such a tranquil people; it would be a shame for them to be killed off."_

"King Kai, leave it to us!" came the reply of Tien, his determination as strong as ever. "We're not going to fail this time… not when everything is on the line. With the combined might of Piccolo and I, those Saiyans won't know what hit them!"

"I… admire your courage, Tien." Piccolo let out a small growl of frustration at his current situation. "However, I'm in no shape to be going anywhere at the moment. Even if you were to give me a senzu bean, it'd be a waste—those Saiyans aren't going down easily, that's for certain. You're going to need every single advantage you can get over them, and wasting a bean on me would only lower your chances of winning."

"I can't just let you go through pain alone, Piccolo. Especially pain that I caused you…" Tien hung his head, ashamed of his earlier suspicions about the Namekian. "But… if you're not going with me… who am I supposed to-?"

"It's for situations like these… that I trained Gohan, Tien. He'll be safe with you—his mother will need some persuading, but she'll understand that this is all to bring her husband back home."

"Do you think that Gohan himself will be ready to take on his uncle and the other Saiyans? I don't doubt his ability to fight… but we have to remember that he's just a kid," hastily added Tien.

"Age doesn't matter… what matters is heart and determination. The kid's got that in spades. He's still scared of unnecessary combat, but when things get serious, there's no one better to have on your side." Piccolo let out a small smirk at the thought of his pupil and just how far he'd come. "He should be waking up soon, if he isn't already—his wounds were far less severe than mine. Talk with him. He won't blindly attack if you approach him in a calm, rational manner. Tell him I sent you and what he'll have to endure. I'm sure the kid will understand."

Tien nodded, standing up and beginning his walk out of the Namekian's hospital room. "I've said it already, but… thanks, Piccolo. You've really done a lot for us, whether you know it or not."

"Tch! Don't worry about me; just stay focused on the challenge ahead," replied Piccolo, closing his eyes as he prepared to enter a meditative state of mind.

Before he left, Tien let his gaze rest on Piccolo's still form, giving him an unconscious nod of respect. _It's my fault that you're hurt, Piccolo… I'll make it up to you. Not only will I bring Goku home, but I'll make sure that every single one of your race are left unharmed. It's the least I can do to repay your kindness…_

* * *

"E-Eighter?" asked Yamcha, skeptical of the large, burly figure before him. _What kind of a name is Eighter? It sounds almost… robotic…_

Eighter nodded happily. "Do you know someone by the name of Son Goku? I ask because you're clothed in the same material I remember him donning when I first met him."

"I know him," began Yamcha, immediately sulking, "or, at least, I _knew _him. Hard as it is to believe, his long-lost alien brother came to Earth and kidnapped him, taking him to wherever he lives. I know nothing about his whereabouts—he could be dead, and I'd have no way of knowing. It's just… so… frustrating."

"You shouldn't feel so down about yourself," came the calm reply of Android Eight, who took a nearby seat next to the bed Yamcha was currently resting upon. "I'm sure Goku wouldn't want you to feel that way, would he?"

Annoyed, Yamcha shot Eighter a glare—was he attempting to take pity on him? "It's not about what Goku would want; it's about getting him back to where he belongs. Before he was kidnapped, Goku had a son—Goku's brother was intent on kidnapping him as well. Thinking that they might return for him, everyone began massive training to prepare for the incoming possible threat… but a year has passed, and they haven't returned. Waste of time, I guess…"

"Don't say that…" Eighter frowned, upset that this soul was feeling such negative emotions. He himself couldn't truly feel… but that didn't mean he couldn't replicate human emotions to the best of his ability. "How'd you end up here, then? When I found you, you were sprawled out in the snow, unconscious."

"It's a long story… but, basically, I got into a fight with one of my friends, and this happened. I nearly died from their last attack…" _And it was a kid, no less…_

"I'm sure that it was all a misunderstanding," replied Eighter, oblivious to how ironic his statement truly was. "You should go talk with them—I'm sure you can resolve your problems."

"It's not a problem I can so easily solve, Eighter." Yamcha scowled to himself, frustrated with his inability to fight. "It's because of my strength… no matter how hard I try and push myself, I always seem to find myself outclassed. Even in the rare moment that I actually stand a chance, I crack under the pressure and just lose… you have no idea how painful that is to me."

"You're right. I don't," Eighter pouted. "I can't truly understand emotion, but I can tell you that this isn't healthy for your well-being, friend. You need to rid yourself of these bad feelings before they end up truly hurting you."

"What am I supposed to do, then?!" snapped Yamcha, growing furious with the android's inability to comprehend his emotions. "Just lie down and let everyone fight for me? Eighter, I don't think you understand… this isn't just for me… I miss Goku, and I can't stand knowing that there's nothing I can do to help him."

Suddenly, Eighter paused. "Repeat what you just said."

"W-Why?"

"Put your trust in me, please. I only wish to help."

Giving Eighter a puzzled frown, Yamcha obliged. "I miss Goku, and I can't stand knowing that there's nothing I can do to help him."

"Yes! That's exactly it!" Eighter beamed happily, much to the confusion of the scar-faced bandit. "You miss Goku; you're frustrated that you can't help out. If you band together with your friends instead of fighting with them, wouldn't you be better off? Not only would you become stronger by working with them, but you would also have someone to talk about these feelings with."

Yamcha froze, his eyes immediately widening with sudden realization.

The silence that immediately filled the room told Eighter all he needed to know about Yamcha's current thought process. Not wanting to provoke a violent reaction from the scar-faced warrior, Eighter began his walk towards the door.

"I'll be here, should you need anything. Don't be shy."

With that, Eighter walked out of the room, leaving Yamcha to reflect upon the android's words.

* * *

Over these past nine months, all had been ghastly reticent around Capsule Corp. Other than the usual conduct that occurred at the large complex, no true activity had occurred. Yamcha had left, throwing himself into training. Dr. Briefs and his wife had minded their own business, choosing to not dwell on the matter.

As for Bulma, she had, for the most part, gotten over her best friend's sudden abduction. It had taken quite a while, but after learning about a shocking surprise, any and all thoughts of her best friend had suddenly abandoned her mind.

Just moments prior, _something _had happened that would change the dynamic of the Z-Fighters radically…

* * *

Fear.

Fear spread throughout the woman's conscience as it finally settled into her brain. Of course, life couldn't give her a break—constant reminders of her husband's departure constantly flashed throughout her mind.

This time, however, it would be truly unmistakable. Something of this magnitude was not something Chi-Chi could so easily ignore. Silently, she cursed the father of her child for unintentionally putting her through so much pain…

…The father of Son Goten, the newest-born hybrid Saiyan.

* * *

_Well, that was certainly a fun chapter to write! Lots of surprises occurred here, most notably the reveal at the end. I'll go into depth about it in a brief moment._

_First off, let me thank you all so much for sticking with me throughout my irregular updates. You guys are seriously wonderful, and every one of you reading this, regardless of whether you review or not, seriously make me feel accomplished. I'm so glad and honored to be writing for the DBZ fandom, and I can't wait to continue. _

_Speaking of, this point in the story marks the point I've wanted to get to for so long. As such, I will be writing a lot more for this story, which should hopefully translate into faster updates. I can't promise anything, but I can say that I'll finally be truly motivated to write this story._

_Did that final bit sound familiar to you? It was the opening of Chapter 9: Macabre, only with a few edits to accommodate for my improved writing style since that point. It feels magnificent to finally reveal Goten's birth into this universe._

_Now, I know that Goten doesn't exactly have the best reception by fans of DBZ. That's okay. Unlike the canonical series, Goten won't be nearly as child-like/impish in SotF. Rather, he will be a product of his surroundings—with Gohan being more serious about his role as a protector, it's quite likely that Goten will be adopting that same attitude. He won't be the bratty, snobby character we saw in DBZ—rather, I intend to mold him into something different entirely._

**Will Goku and Raditz stand a fighting chance against their former overlord? Can Vegeta best Turles once again in combat? What of Nappa, who is currently waiting in the wings? How will the birth of Goten affect Gohan and company? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father!**_


	20. Chapter XX: Honor Trip

**Namek Saga – Part 5: Honor Trip**

All was quiet within the atmosphere of Planet Tormos, the tension so thick that it could be cut with a knife. Neither of the warriors made any movements, instead opting to size up their respective opponent in their minds.

A moment later, both vanished into the yellow skies, booms of thunder echoing around the scarcely populated planet. The shockwaves were so fierce in intensity that they caused the planet below to violently tremble. Mountains fell to their early demises, crumbling down to nothing more than simple rock in a cascade of violent tremors.

Throughout it all, Nappa stood in the center of the maelstrom, completely unfazed by the falling debris. He merely released his energy around him in a kiai-like manner, vaporizing any and all substance that was flung his way. _You're lucky Turles wants to fight you himself, Vegeta… otherwise, I'd tear you in half right from the start..._

Vegeta soared through the sky, catching Turles off-guard with a high-speed blow that snapped his skull backwards; he then ignited his aura as he began to throw a rapid barrage of blows at his foe's chest and solar plexus. Throughout it all, the doppelganger grit his teeth and endured, waiting for his opportunity; suddenly, the prince miscalculated, his right-handed blow going awry.

A moment later, he found his arm being brutally gripped and then used as momentum for Turles to viciously drive his knee upwards; this shot the flame-haired Saiyan's chin upwards and elicited a shriek of utter agony from his lips.

But that was only music to the fruit-devouring Saiyan's ears. Relishing in the sound of Vegeta's pain, Turles brought his knee upwards again and again, laughing as more and more blood spilled from the royal's maw.

Suddenly, however, Turles felt Vegeta's arm go limp, and he stopped his assault long enough to lift the smaller Saiyan by the limb. "What's wrong? Has the oh-so-mighty Prince Vegeta lost so easily?"

"F-For your information…" spat out the prince, a fire like no other burning within his irises, "I'm just getting started! RAGH!"

Throwing caution to the wind, Vegeta thrust his feet forward and buried them within Turles' abdomen, freeing his arm while sending his opponent spiraling backwards. Not wanting to lose momentum, the prince flew in an arc of purple light, racing around his opponent and firmly planting his boot against his foe's spine; this sent the pale-skinned Saiyan spinning downwards until he made a nasty collision with the aquamarine ground of Planet Tormos.

"Hahahaha!" boasted the prince, throwing his head back in both arrogance and exuberance. This was it… the challenge he'd been longing for. Now, after having nine months to improve, Vegeta would get the opportunity to finally test his maximum capabilities against one of his most formidable foes. "A prince doesn't fall so easily to a common peasant like you! You should've known better than to cross my path!"

As he stood, Turles' prideful smirk never once left his pale features; in fact, it only seemed to widen with every word that spewed from his foe's lips. It was almost as if he enjoyed the fact that Vegeta could keep up with him… "Even a reject can surpass an elite if they train hard enough, Vegeta." With that, he rose into the air to meet Vegeta at eye level, grinning all the while. "And I'm about to prove how true that statement is."

Vegeta drew his arms close to his chest, putting them in an x-like formation. With this, he let out a growl, veins beginning to throb on his forehead; immediately, a pale violet aura began to enshroud his figure. "Is that so? Well, then, allow me to show you a power that no amount of training could ever prepare you for!"

If one were to blink, they would miss the prince's instantaneous movement. He immediately closed the distance and aimed for his opponent's knees with a chop-block, but the rogue Saiyan somehow found it within to intercept by swiftly kicking Vegeta's cheek, sending him plummeting down to the ground below.

But Turles wasn't about to allow his opponent breathing room. Lunging towards his opponent, Turles intervened with Vegeta's flight path and sent him smashing through another chain of mountains with a firm punch to the ribcage; he then immediately began to fire a quick barrage of energy blasts that threw up a shield of debris.

"I don't think you understand!" Turles kept up the continuous, rapid-fire assault, never once faltering. "I'd rather _die _than lose to you again! When you defeated me so long ago, you broke my body and left my mind a fragmented mess! But there's one thing I refuse to submit, even with my last dying breath… _my pride!"_

FOOM!

Suddenly, the fallen piles of rock suddenly erupted with a violent detonation of energy, an infuriated Saiyan Prince emerging from the ground with a look of utter rage and contempt for his fellow Saiyan. Hatred and contempt shone through his onyx irises as he walked forward; he then let out a fierce growl as he raised his chin to look Turles dead in the eyes.

Then, suddenly, he spoke.

"Don't you ever speak of pride again, you sickening excuse of a Saiyan," Vegeta snarled, his voice uncharacteristically low—somehow, it seemed to still carry that same sense of overwhelming fear. "You know nothing of the sort… not until you've suffered throughout the most intense battles—not until you've stared death between the eyes, knowing if you slipped up once, that was the end… until you have to put everything on the line, you know absolutely _nothing _about a Saiyan's pride!"

With that, Vegeta leapt upwards and dashed toward his foe, a wild battle cry rumbling from his throat as he collided with Turles once more; their fists caused a massive THUUM to reverberate around the battlefield. Each fighter gripped onto their respective opponent's fists, growling ferociously as they tried to overpower each other.

"I refuse to die this way!" Turles hissed, pushing more of his power into his arms, trying to regain control of their power struggle. "I'll make you pay for what you've done to me, you bastard!"

"Tch! Don't you realize that you'll never have honor?" grunted back Vegeta, his body trembling with his untapped strength. "I left you to die, alone and forgotten. You should've died when we first clashed—you took the coward's way out and decided to use my own ally against me. For that, Turles, you'll never have pride the way that I have… hell, even the way that Raditz and Kakarott have!"

"Hah! Don't delude yourself, Vegeta! Why haven't you upstaged a rebellion against Frieza yet? Are you too scared? Is that it? Is the mighty prince, whose arrogance is unrivaled throughout the cosmos, afraid of a simple tyrant?!"

"Shut up!" Vegeta mimicked Turles' actions; he then threw his head forwards in an attempt to break the stalemate. Unfortunately, the pale-skinned Saiyan had the same idea—their heads collided with a resounding CRACK.

As the two warriors continued their struggle, Turles could tell he'd stricken a nerve. Smirking, he pressed on. "You speak of being the Super Saiyan, the unrivaled power, yet you can't dispatch of one freak Arcosian…"

"What of you, Turles?! You're too much of a coward to even come face-to-face with Frieza himself! I have to see the damn lizard and report to him nearly every day; you, however, just laze around and conquer remote planets! If anyone's the coward here, it's you!"

With that sudden outcry, Vegeta broke past his foe's defenses by throwing his head back and lifting his knees, taking all the wind out of Turles with a double-booted strike to the chest. Recoiling, Turles dropped his grip and clutched his stomach with a growl of pain, though the prince wasn't about to let his opponent escape from his clutches so easily. Mustering up his strength, the flame-haired Saiyan drew back his fist and sent the doppelganger barreling backwards with a mighty blow to the nose, nearly shattering the bone on impact.

"Agh!" Turles yelled in pain as he involuntarily flew backwards, pain coursing through his veins. Was he truly destined to lose to Vegeta yet again? After all the training he'd endured, after all the effort he'd put in, was it just not in the cards for him?

He stopped himself in mid-air, flipping back upright only to be caught with a double-fisted strike to the stomach. Doubling over, Turles spat out a fresh torrent of blood, though Vegeta had already ignited his aura and retreated from the groggy Saiyan's trajectory.

Wounded, and without any way to stop himself, Turles began to freefall from the skies, his chest aching with every breath he took.

But Vegeta wasn't done quite yet; he dashed into the yellow skies before arcing downwards, his fists conjoined. Swinging them downwards in an axe-like manner, Vegeta sped up Turles' fall by firmly making contact with the pale-skinned Saiyan's shoulder blades.

A moment passed before Turles made a heavy collision with the ground, a massive crater forming on impact. Smoke and debris immediately rose from the newest indent in the wastelands of Planet Tormos, though Vegeta remained undeterred in his stance. He knew quite well that his opponent could survive such an attack quite easily. A rush began to pulsate through his veins, the thrill of battle… fighting another Saiyan gave him a sensation he hadn't had since he'd sparred with his father and his elite bodyguards. To say it was thrilling would be a massive understatement.

Eager to continue their battle, Vegeta illuminated himself in his aura and sped towards the ground where he could make out Turles' standing figure, landing abreast him with a confident smirk. "It's only destiny, Turles—don't feel ashamed. You should feel honored you even had the opportunity to fight with royalty, not once, but twice." He emphasized his word choice by holding up two gloved fingers before rolling his hand into a fist once more, which he then gripped close to his chest. "Now then, shall I end this?"

"You must be a true imbecile to think I'd ever give in, Vegeta." Turles, though quite visibly injured, somehow found it within him to stand confidently, wiping off some excess blood from his cheek. "I thought you would know… a true Saiyan never gives up in battle."

A snort came from the prince's lips. "Congratulations, Turles: you've finally learned one of the true Saiyan ways. However…" Vegeta's eyes narrowed as he prepared for battle once more. "…actions speak louder than words."

Rocketing towards his opponent, Vegeta threw his forearm forward; however, the pale-skinned Saiyan anticipated the blow and promptly sidestepped. This left Vegeta's midsection quite open for attack, and Turles didn't fail to capitalize—he grabbed his foe's arm and threw his leg upwards, striking against Vegeta's ribcage with a firm blow. But the prince somehow found it within him to endure; he drew his other palm and held it to his side, releasing a stream of pale blue energy that blew Turles backwards yet again.

The damage had still been done, however. Just as he was about to continue his chain of attacks, Vegeta felt a pain shoot through his arms—no doubt a repercussion of clashing with Turles earlier. In raw power, the renegade Saiyan exceeded the prince, though the skills and stamina possessed by the royal was what kept his chances of victory alive.

But that didn't mean he was immune to pain.

Vegeta growled, shaking off the pain by flailing his right arm for a brief moment. "D-Dam-"

He wouldn't get to finish his sentence; Turles had capitalized and connected with a firm knee to the chin. The attack sent Vegeta onto his back and forced him to skid back ten feet, though he quickly flipped back up and prepared to re-engage his foe once more.

"Lucky shot," said the prince as he wiped his cheek.

"Still aren't convinced that I can't hold my own?" sneered back Turles as he dropped his arms to his side. _He's trying to hide it… but he knows he doesn't stand a chance. My strength outclasses his—not by much, but enough so that he's feeling true pain. While he whittles me down bit by bit, just a few concentrated blows from me can put him away._

Vegeta clenched his fists, summoning two twin spheres of purple energy in his palms. "You have power, Turles… but power isn't always the key to victory. HYAH!"

Both blasts rocketed forward, though Turles was much too quick. Smirking, his figure faded into static lines before he ultimately moved at undetectable speeds and escaped from the detonation site, laughing all the while. A cloud of smoke immediately began to rise from the center of the explosion, ultimately blinding the pale-skinned Saiyan from view.

With a scowl, Vegeta pulled his aura close around his figure and dove into the fumes, searching for his foe vehemently. The battle was indeed taking a toll on him; he needed to finish Turles off as quickly as possible if he was to have a fighting chance against Nappa.

"Looking for me?"

Vegeta had only a moment to turn around before a swift backhand collided with his cheek; he then felt a devastatingly powerful right hook to the stomach. As he was about to double over, a swift uppercut sent his chin rocketing up and caused a resounding CRACK to echo around the desolate wasteland.

Suddenly, however, the beating intensified. Turles grabbed the prince by his hair and connected with a devastatingly powerful right hook that shot Vegeta's cranium to the left. From there, he continued his assault with a rapid backhand before he laid his free palm on his foe's armor and blasted him away; the purple energy detonated shortly after, a loud shockwave beginning to fill the reticent atmosphere.

The resulting explosion immediately illuminated the area in a shade of violet, howls of thunder beginning to emerge and decorating the already tense atmosphere with a frighteningly powerful storm. Throughout it all, Turles couldn't help but grin feverishly as he saw Vegeta, face-first, lying helplessly on the ground.

Levitating upwards, he spoke with an arrogant laugh, amused by the sight before his very eyes. Vegeta, the ever-so-confident prince, the one who had spared him, was now helpless in the face of his own power.

"It's amazing how the tables can turn, isn't it? In one moment, you can be at the pinnacle of power, and in the next, writhing on the ground like a little bug." He slapped his palms together, a faint hum of energy reverberating around the already deafeningly-loud battlefield. Then, as if out of nowhere, a bright, orange ring of ki materialized within his hands. Electricity began to crackle around the potent manipulated energy, before it suddenly solidified. Turles then moved his arms back apart, ready to fire the Kill Driver at his foe and end Prince Vegeta's existence permanently.

"And now, Vegeta, it's time for you to meet your demise like the little bug you are!"

* * *

In all the commotion after Goku's sudden abduction, Chi-Chi had barely found the time to truly look after herself. She'd still kept herself healthy, of course – Krillin had made sure of that – but other than maintain the basics, all she did was mope and cry over the situation.

Fearing for the safety of her friend, Bulma had made her way to Mount Paozu and convinced Chi-Chi that it was for the best to move to Capsule Corp. Krillin had disappeared—presumably to train for the Saiyans, which they both understood was for the best—and the scientist hadn't deemed it safe for the Son matriarch to be living alone after the pain she'd had to endure.

Not long after, the woman began to feel overly sick. The marine-haired girl, of course, had come to her aid almost immediately and asked her if she hadn't been eating. However, Chi-Chi had experienced this sensation once before—she knew what was wrong with her.

She was pregnant with Goku's second child.

Five months after moving in with her husband's best friend, Son Goten was birthed into the world, and blessed with the name in the hope that Goku was safe and sound, wherever he was…

* * *

Little did she know, her spouse was, quite ironically, in the exact opposite situation—he was about to rebel against his former master alongside his brother, the odds heavily stacked against him.

* * *

"Whoa!" shouted Goku, having to raise one arm to his brow to shield himself from Frieza's massive power—it felt like a hurricane of unadulterated wrath, something that could exterminate his very life with the flick of a finger. His blue aura, which he was forced to ignite in order to stay on his feet, was nearly swallowed by the intensity of the Arcosian's; he couldn't hang on much longer.

"Th-this is unbelievable!" cried Raditz, trying – and failing – to keep himself rooted to the ground. _Frieza's power… I never imagined it could be anything like this! So overwhelming… and he's not even done powering up yet!_

"RAAAAGH!" Frieza lunged forward and towards the Saiyan brothers with a howl, a terribly powerful air current being amassed due to his insanely large power. He flew so fast that his foes couldn't even register his speed; in fact, he landed in between them, and they weren't the wiser for five painfully slow seconds.

"H-How…?" Raditz questioned, his voice small and his legs trembling with fear. _He w-was so fast…_

"Oh, I'm sorry… was I moving too quickly for you?" the Arcosian sneered, not even bothering to face either of his former soldiers. "I suppose I understand… even one-fourth of my power isn't something many can go toe-to-toe with…"

"O-One fourth?!" both brothers gaped in unison, absolutely terrified at the tyrant before them. Both had the same thought: if all Frieza was displaying was truly one-fourth of his full power, neither brother would be making it out alive.

But that didn't stop them from trying.

Goku immediately aimed a blow for Frieza's skull; Raditz went low and aimed for the tyrant's side. However, their movements may as well have been in slow motion to the overlord, who easily thwarted either brother's attack with one hand each. Gripping their arms tightly like a stern parent would a child, he hurled them easily into the air before jumping into the skies of black after them.

He first went after Raditz, testing his defenses with a quickly executed punch—as expected, the simian blocked, though it was crystal clear to the sadistic tyrant that it'd taken a lot of effort to do so.

"Your reflexes are impressive, you know." Frieza, barely exuding any effort, kept the pressure on Raditz's inverted arm, hearing the delightful sound of bones cracking every second. It brought a sneer to his face. "Really, I'd expected you to have been dead by now. I didn't think you'd ever amass to such heights of power." Lazily, he lifted his free arm, backhanding the recently-appeared Goku across the face. The impact sent Goku skidding back quite a few feet, though that didn't stop the determined Saiyan; using Instant Transmission again, he reappeared above Frieza and landed a firm kick to the side of the Arcosian's skull.

The attack did little more than budge Frieza's head a slight inch.

"Nice try," lowly chuckled Frieza, using his free arm to attempt to swipe Goku away. Shockingly enough, the Saiyan somehow found it within to evade the attack and grab the tyrant's arm, delivering a flurry of blows that eventually caused the Arcosian to grow irritated. "I suppose you're more powerful than your brother. Very well, then… you'll go down first."

Frieza released his grip on Raditz by pushing his chest with the lightest tap he could muster, which sent the long-haired warrior smashing into the ground nearly a split-second later. Then he focused his attention on Goku, who stood with a fire blazing in his eyes.

"I'm not going to let you get away with this, Frieza. You've done too much to the Saiyan name to escape unscathed!" The armored Saiyan felt his blood boil—at last, he'd have his chance to overthrow the tyrant. _I may be outmatched, like Bardock was before me… but that's not going to stop me. Frieza WILL pay for what he's done, one way or another!_

Goku made the first move, rushing forward with a right hook that the Arcosian easily evaded by simply tilting his head to the left; he then tried the process again with his left fist, but Frieza mirrored his movements yet again, smirking all the while.

"If you just give up now, I could spare you a painful death," Frieza offered darkly, that sinister smirk never faltering even for a moment. "Your rebellion is pointless when you know you can't win. I'd given you and your comrades far too long to prove yourselves… in the scheme of things, it makes sense to eliminate you now."

"We're not just toys you can decide to play with, Frieza!" hissed Goku as he threw another flurry of punches—all of which the Arcosian blocked with minimal effort. "We're Saiyans, the mightiest warrior race in the universe!"

Frieza let out a chuckle as he evaded another kick of the Saiyan's, watching with amusement as he shifted his body weight to throw another punch, which was easily avoided as well. "Yes, exactly. You're Saiyans… which is reason enough to exterminate you."

"_Don't you dare mock our name_!" Goku scowled, illuminating himself in his blue aura before firing a hastily-prepared Galick Flare, which genuinely caught the reptile-resembling being off-guard. As such, he only had a moment's notice to catch it within his palms, driving him back about twenty feet within the air.

Unfortunately for the spiky-haired soldier, Frieza's superior strength allowed him to hold the blast at arm's length with relative ease. "I'll give you one last chance to tuck tail, Goku. I suggest you take it."

"You've taken too many lives… no more! I don't care if I die here today; you're going down with me! HYAAH!" With that, Goku pushed more power into his Galick Flare, which immediately detonated into a flare of azure light that illuminated the asteroid-like planet.

For a moment, Goku held out hope, hope that the battle was over. The monster had been caught off-guard by his sudden overflow of energy—he'd poured nearly everything he had into the blast. Surely, not even such a large power difference would be able to shield Frieza from—

His hopes were dashed when the smoke and light died down, revealing a perfectly unharmed Frieza, who hovered in the air, hands on his hips.

"How about round two?"

Goku's eyes immediately widened; there was nothing left he could do. _T-This is madness! How are we supposed to deal with this kind of power?!_

* * *

"Hey… Gohan… wake up, little guy."

As he began to sit up, he felt groggy, as if he hadn't eaten anything for a while. He didn't understand what had happened—all he knew was that…

…Mr. Piccolo!

Gohan bolted upright, panting heavily as he looked frantically for the sight of his mentor. _I-Is he okay? Did he beat up the three-eyed guy?!_ All that mattered was his teacher's safety; he couldn't care less about his own at the moment.

As if the voice could tell what his immediate thoughts were, it chuckled. "Don't worry… Piccolo is in another room, sleeping off his injuries. He's going to be just fine."

The young child looked up, and was frightened to see the face of the three-eyed man—though, this time, something seemed different about him. No longer did he appear all that menacing; in fact, he almost looked friendly. It was quite the stark contrast to his previous demeanor. "W-Who are you?"

"My name is Tien. I'm a friend of your father's," came the reply of the triclops, who took a chair next to Gohan's bedside. "Look… I know you saw Piccolo and I fighting before, but that was all a misunderstanding. We're on the same side, all three of us. I was just overreacting to the situation," he lied, trying to avoid the subject of why he mistrusted the Namekian. "The important thing is, we know where your father is now. And… well, we're going to go get him."

"D-Daddy's coming back?!" asked the child, unable to stop a squeal from his lips. "W-When?!"

"That's the thing, Gohan. We're going to need your help in order to get him back." Tien reached out and laid a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. "We're going to take a trip into space, where your uncle took your father. We may have to fight your uncle and his friends in order to get your dad back. However, I won't be able to do it alone… I'm going to need your help to fight them. We're going to have to train hard, but I have no doubt we'll be able to do it if we work together."

"What about Mr. Piccolo?" asked the young child, tilting his head in curiosity. "He's really strong, too! If you went with him, you'd be able to get Daddy back, easy!" Truly, the child had only the utmost faith in Piccolo—he didn't think, even for a moment, that anything could go wrong with the normally stoic Namekian around.

"Piccolo wants to stay here, just in case anyone shows up to attack Earth," came the hasty reply of Tien. He didn't want to shatter the faith that the boy had in his mentor—it was all he had left. "Besides, like you said, Piccolo is very powerful. He would be able to stop any threat that came here with no problems."

"Oh, okay… I guess." Gohan pouted, upset that he'd have to leave his best friend in order to find his father. But, he knew, this was worth it—if his dad could come home, he'd have everything he wanted… a daddy, a mommy, and a best friend.

"So, what do you say, kid? Are you ready to go find your father?" asked Tien, his expression lightening up—the child's optimism was contagious, really… he could see why Piccolo had softened up around young Gohan.

"Y-Yeah!" exclaimed Gohan as he sat up, excited about the adventure to come. He would go to space with Mr. Tien; he would fight against the bullies that had taken Daddy, and maybe… just maybe… he'd get to see his dad again.

* * *

_Thanks for reading this new chapter, everyone! It felt great to get this chapter out to you all, despite it being – what I feel – to be a very short chapter. I really wanted to use this chapter as a transitory chapter to simply move along the plot; next chapter, we will continue on with these plots(and it'll hopefully be much longer… I had about a thousand words written that I decided to cut and save for the next chapter, which is already in progress)._

_Also, as you may have been able to tell, this chapter is a cordial nod to the popular fanfiction known as _Honor Trip. _I felt that this chapter's battle between Vegeta and Turles was more of a battle of beliefs, of honor. I felt it prudent to name this chapter after the legendary fanfiction, which is certainly a fantastic read._

_I really feel that this chapter marked a very big shift in my writing. I found that both of the battle scenes this chapter were much more fun to write, and they didn't feel as repetitive—reading back over it now, I can say that this is the first time I'm truly content with what I've written for a fight scene. I would've kept writing for it, too, but I couldn't find a better place to end it than here._

_Now, onto power levels: note that Frieza is indeed only using one-fourth of his power—that isn't a bluff. Also, I think you're probably going to be surprised with the Saiyans' power levels. My reasoning for their being extremely high is simple—in addition to going on training missions, they were able to spar with each other. As a result, they are massively more powerful than their canonical counterparts._

_Frieza(1/4th power): 132,500  
Goku: 93,000  
Raditz: 88,000  
Vegeta: 99,000  
Turles:104,000_

_Last, but CERTAINLY not least, _**thanks so much for giving SotF OVER 1,000 REVIEWS! **_This is a major accomplishment that many stories don't even achieve, much less in the first 20 chapters of it. Ever since I started writing _Sins of the Father,_ I really never expected it to get to where it's at today. Back then, my writing skills were nowhere near as sharp and my vision for this story not so clear—it's really amazing for me to recall all the memories that came with writing this story. I can't wait to write more for all of you, and I hope the same can be said for your interest in reading SotF!_

**What will become of Vegeta, who is currently down for the count? Will he be able to persevere against not only Turles, but Nappa as well? Do Goku and Raditz have any tricks up their sleeve to even remotely quell Frieza's massive power? How will the Earthlings play into all of this space chaos? Find out, on the next **_**Sins of the Father**_**!**


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